Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 119

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

पुरस्तात्केशवः पातु चक्री जांबूनदप्रभः । पश्चान्नारायणः शङ्खी नीलजीमूतसन्निभः ॥ ११९ ॥

Transliteration

purastātkeśavaḥ pātu cakrī jāṃbūnadaprabhaḥ | paścānnārāyaṇaḥ śaṅkhī nīlajīmūtasannibhaḥ || 119 ||

Translation

เบื้องหน้าในทิศตะวันออก ขอพระเกศวะผู้ทรงจักร ผู้รุ่งเรืองดุจทองชัมพูนทะ คุ้มครองข้าพเจ้า. และเบื้องหลังในทิศตะวันตก ขอพระนารายณะผู้ทรงสังข์ ผู้ดำดุจเมฆฝนสีน้ำเงิน คุ้มครองข้าพเจ้า.

Word by Word

• पुरस्तात्: in front
• पुरस्तात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• केशवः: Keśava
• केशवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चक्रि: the discus-bearer
• चक्रि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘चक्र-धारी’ (possessor suffix -in)

• जाम्बूनदप्रभः: having the luster of Jāmbūnada-gold
• जाम्बूनदप्रभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाम्बूनद + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जाम्बूनदस्य प्रभा यस्य)

• पश्चात्: behind
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शङ्खी: the conch-bearer
• शङ्खी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्खिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘शङ्ख-धारी’ (possessor suffix -in)

• नीलजीमूतसन्निभः: resembling a dark rain-cloud
• नीलजीमूतसन्निभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + जीमूत + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (नीलजीमूतवत् सन्निभः)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Keshava
• Narayana
• Sudarshana Chakra
• Shankha

FAQs

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

It invokes Viṣṇu’s specific forms as a kavacha (spiritual armor), assigning divine guardianship to directions—Keśava in the east/front and Nārāyaṇa behind/west—so the devotee is enclosed in protective remembrance (smaraṇa) of Hari.

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

Bhakti is expressed as constant dependence on Viṣṇu: the devotee prays for protection by contemplating His names, forms, and emblems (cakra, śaṅkha), turning fear and vulnerability into surrender (śaraṇāgati).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied mantra-prayoga and nyāsa-like directional assignment (dik-bandhana) used in ritual recitation—linking deity-name, iconography, and spatial orientation for focused japa and protective rites.