Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 167

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

Devanagari script

आकर्षणपदा गच्छदागच्छहृदयांतिमः । अनेन व्यापकं कृत्वा जगन्नाथं स्मरेत् सुधीः ॥ १६७ ॥

Transliteration

ākarṣaṇapadā gacchadāgacchahṛdayāṃtimaḥ | anena vyāpakaṃ kṛtvā jagannāthaṃ smaret sudhīḥ || 167 ||

Translation

เมื่อวางมนต์ไว้ ณ ตำแหน่ง ‘อากรรษณะ’ แล้วนำไปสู่ตำแหน่ง ‘ไป-กลับ’ (คัชชทาคัชช) จนสิ้นสุดที่ดวงใจ ผู้มีปัญญาพึงทำให้แผ่ซ่านทั่วกายด้วยวิธีนี้ แล้วระลึกถึงพระชคันนาถา

Word by Word

• आकर्षण-पदा: having attractive steps/feet
• आकर्षण-पदा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (Tatpurusha): ‘आकर्षणस्य पदम्’ → ‘आकर्षणपद’ (attractive/attracting step/foot)

• गच्छत्-आगच्छ-हृदय-अन्तिमः: the innermost in the hearts of those who come and go
• गच्छत्-आगच्छ-हृदय-अन्तिमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गच्छत् (कृदन्त) + आ-गम् (धातु) → आगच्छ (कृदन्त/आदेश) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘गच्छताम् आगच्छतां (वा) हृदयस्य अन्तिमः’ = ‘the innermost of the hearts of those who go and come’

• अनेन: by this (means)
• अनेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• व्यापकं: all-pervading (as object of making/visualizing)
• व्यापकं: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्म-विशेषण (object-qualifier)

• कृत्वा: having made (having visualized/formed)
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal adjunct)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive, indeclinable): ‘having done/made’

• जगत्-नाथं: Jagannatha (Lord of the world)
• जगत्-नाथं: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘जगतः नाथः’ = Lord of the world

• स्मरेत्: should remember/meditate upon
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• सुधीः: the wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः: ‘सु (good) + धी (intellect)’ → ‘one of good intellect’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Jagannatha
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches an internalized ritual-meditative technique: placing the mantra through specific stations and concluding in the heart, so remembrance of Jagannatha becomes continuous and body-pervading.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as smaraṇa (remembrance): the devotee uses a disciplined mantra-nyāsa to make the Lord’s presence felt throughout one’s being, culminating in heart-centered devotion to Jagannatha.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical prayoga aligned with Vedanga-style discipline—mantra-nyāsa and dhyāna sequencing (movement/placement ending at the heart), emphasizing correct internal procedure rather than mere recitation.