Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 89

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा मुनिः स्याद्गायत्री छन्दः प्रोक्तोऽथ देवता । पुरुषोत्तमसंज्ञोऽत्र बीजशक्तीस्मरंदिरे ॥ ८९ ॥

Transliteration

brahmā muniḥ syādgāyatrī chandaḥ prokto'tha devatā | puruṣottamasaṃjño'tra bījaśaktīsmaraṃdire || 89 ||

Translation

ఇక్కడ బ్రహ్మనే ఋషి (ముని) అని చెప్పబడెను; ఛందస్సు గాయత్రీ అని ప్రకటించబడెను; అధిదేవత ‘పురుషోత్తమ’ అని ఉక్తము. ఈ మంత్రంలో బీజం, శక్తి, స్మర (కీలక)ములు తమ తమ స్థానాలలో స్థాపితమై ఉన్నట్లు గ్రహించవలెను॥

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• छन्दः: meter
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• देवता: deity
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरुषोत्तम-संज्ञः: named ‘Puruṣottama’
• पुरुषोत्तम-संज्ञः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुषोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पुरुषोत्तमस्य संज्ञा यस्य सः’ = named Puruṣottama

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here)

• बीज-शक्ती-स्मर-न्दिरे: in the (so-called) bīja-śakti-smara-... locus (unclear)
• बीज-शक्ती-स्मर-न्दिरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मर (प्रातिपदिक) + न्दिर/मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समास-पदं पाठे अस्पष्टम् (स्मरंदिरे ≈ स्मर-मन्दिरे/स्मर-इन्दिरे इत्यादि); ‘in the seed/power/...’ प्रकारेण अधिकरणम्

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Vedanga/technical-mantra context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Purushottama (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It formalizes mantra-vidhi by naming the ṛṣi (Brahmā), chandas (Gāyatrī), and devatā (Puruṣottama), showing that devotion and efficacy arise from correct Vedic identification and disciplined remembrance of the mantra’s inner powers (bīja–śakti–smara/kīlaka).

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By stating Puruṣottama as the devatā, the verse directs the practitioner’s worship, meditation, and surrender toward Vishnu as the highest Person, while using precise mantra-structure to stabilize devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-science: determining ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā, along with bīja and śakti (and the smara/kīlaka principle), which are standard components used in nyāsa, japa, and ritual application.