Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । प्रणवो हृदयं विष्णुर्नेन्तः सुरपतिस्तथा । महाबलाय स्वाहांतो मंत्रो वसुधराक्षरः ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | praṇavo hṛdayaṃ viṣṇurnentaḥ surapatistathā | mahābalāya svāhāṃto maṃtro vasudharākṣaraḥ || 1 ||

Translation

సనత్కుమారుడు పలికెను—ప్రణవమైన ‘ఓం’ విష్ణువుని హృదయం; దాని అంతరంలో దేవాధిపతియును నివసించును. ‘స్వాహా’తో ముగియు ఈ మంత్రం మహాబలునికై, లోకధారక అక్షరమగును.

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• प्रणवः: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• हृदयम्: (is) the heart
• हृदयम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अन्तः: within/inside
• अन्तः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), स्थानवाचक (locative adverb)

• सुरपतिः: lord of the gods (Indra)
• सुरपतिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ (also/likewise)

• महाबलाय: to the greatly powerful one
• महाबलाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वाहा-अन्तः: ending with “svāhā”
• स्वाहा-अन्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘स्वाहा’ इति पदेन अन्तः (ending with “svāhā”)

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वसुधरा-अक्षरः: the ‘vasudharā’ syllable/letter
• वसुधरा-अक्षरः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधरा (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Pranava (Om)
• Surapati (Indra)

FAQs

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

It identifies Oṃ (Praṇava) as the inner essence (hṛdaya) of Viṣṇu and as a world-sustaining akṣara, teaching that realization and worship can be anchored in the primordial syllable.

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

By equating Praṇava with Viṣṇu’s heart, it frames japa and reverent contemplation of Oṃ as a direct devotional approach—seeing the deity present within the mantra’s core.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to mantra-lakṣaṇa in ritual usage: the significance of the ending “svāhā” for offerings (homa) and the doctrine of akṣara (syllabic power) central to śikṣā and mantra-vidyā.