Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

मूलेन पुटितां चैव मातृकां विन्यसेत्क्रमात् । तृचं न मातृकावर्णान्पूर्वं तत्तत्स्थले सुधीः ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

mūlena puṭitāṃ caiva mātṛkāṃ vinyasetkramāt | tṛcaṃ na mātṛkāvarṇānpūrvaṃ tattatsthale sudhīḥ || 36 ||

Translation

తదనంతరం జ్ఞాని సాధకుడు మూలమంత్రంతో ఆవరించబడి రక్షింపబడిన మాతృకా వర్ణాలను క్రమంగా న్యాసం చేయాలి. మూడు ఋచలను ముందుగా స్థాపించక, ముందుగా తత్తత్ స్థానాలలో మాతృకా అక్షరాలను ప్రతిష్ఠించాలి.

Word by Word

• मूलेन: by/with the mūla (root/seed)
• मूलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with the root/seed)

• पुटिताम्: enclosed/encased
• पुटिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुटित (कृदन्त; √पुट्/पुट्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन; Past passive participle used adjectivally (enclosed/covered/encased) qualifying ‘मातृकाम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय; emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’

• मातृकाम्: the mātṛkā (letters-matrix)
• मातृकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन; Accusative singular (the mātṛkā—alphabet/letters-matrix)

• विन्यसेत्: should place/arrange
• विन्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √न्यस् (धातु) उपसर्ग: वि-
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg ‘should place/arrange’

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (ablative used adverbially); ‘in order/stepwise’

• तृचम्: the tṛc (triad/set of three)
• तृचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन; Accusative singular (a ‘tṛc’—a triad/threefold set, here a specific group)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय; negation ‘not’

• मातृका-वर्णान्: the letters of the mātṛkā
• मातृका-वर्णान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृका (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मातृकायाः वर्णाः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kala/Desha-adhikarana (काल/देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (accusative neuter used adverbially); ‘first/previously’

• तत्-तत्-स्थले: in each respective place
• तत्-तत्-स्थले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तस्मिन् तस्मिन् स्थले’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th case), एकवचन; Locative singular

• सुधीः: the wise one
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st case), एकवचन; Nominative singular (the wise person)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined sequence in mantra-sādhana: first stabilizing and sanctifying the practitioner through Mātṛkā-nyāsa protected by the mūla-mantra, so the later recitation of Vedic verses becomes effective and properly grounded.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti-oriented worship by insisting on correct ritual order and purity of practice—treating mantra and sound as sacred limbs of worship, undertaken with attentiveness and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural discipline in mantra application (nyāsa/vinyāsa) and the correct sequencing of syllables and verses—an applied aspect of Śikṣā (phonetics) and ritual methodology within the text’s technical teachings.