Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

ये मंत्रास्ते तु विज्ञेयाः स्थानभ्रष्टा मुनीश्वर । त्रयोदशार्णा ये मन्त्रास्तिथ्यर्णाश्च तथा पुनः ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

ye maṃtrāste tu vijñeyāḥ sthānabhraṣṭā munīśvara | trayodaśārṇā ye mantrāstithyarṇāśca tathā punaḥ || 54 ||

Translation

โอ้ประมุขแห่งฤๅษี มนตร์เหล่านั้นพึงรู้ว่าเป็น ‘สถานภรัษฏะ’ คือคลาดจากตำแหน่งอันควร เช่นเดียวกับมนตร์สิบสามพยางค์ และมนตร์ที่จัดพยางค์ตามลำดับตถิ (วันจันทรคติ) ก็พึงนับในลักษณะเดียวกัน

Word by Word

• ये: which/those who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: कर्ता (Karta; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• ते: those
• ते: कर्ता (Karta; resumptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• विज्ञेयाः: to be known/considered
• विज्ञेयाः: विधेय (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्तव्य (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• स्थान-भ्रष्टाः: displaced from their proper position
• स्थान-भ्रष्टाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective of मन्त्राः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: ‘from the proper place fallen’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana; address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: ‘lord of sages’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• त्रयोदश-अर्णाः: thirteen-lettered
• त्रयोदश-अर्णाः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास: ‘thirteen-lettered’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• ये: which/those
• ये: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तिथि-अर्णाः: tithi-lettered
• तिथि-अर्णाः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: ‘(having) tithi-letters’ (letters corresponding to lunar days); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘likewise/so’

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), repetition

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It stresses that mantra-power depends on precision: correct placement and syllabic structure are essential, and deviations (sthāna-bhraṣṭa) are to be identified and corrected for a rite to bear fruit.

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

Even in devotion, the Purana upholds disciplined practice: sincere bhakti is supported by accurate mantra-recitation, showing that devotion and proper vidhi (method) work together rather than opposing each other.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Śikṣā/Vedāṅga-style technicality—syllable-count (arṇa), correct phonetic/positional arrangement (sthāna), and tithi-based ritual timing/structure used in mantra application.