Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

कामबीजं रविदले मध्ये मन्त्रावृताभिधाम् । सुदर्शनावृतं बाह्ये दिक्षु युग्मावृतं तथा ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

kāmabījaṃ ravidale madhye mantrāvṛtābhidhām | sudarśanāvṛtaṃ bāhye dikṣu yugmāvṛtaṃ tathā || 34 ||

Translation

ในกลางกลีบสุริยะ (รวิ-ทละ) พึงวางกามพีชะไว้ โดยล้อมด้วยนามแห่งมนต์ ภายนอกให้ล้อมด้วยสุทรรศนะ และในทิศทั้งหลายก็ให้จัดวางเป็นชั้นล้อมคู่ ๆ เช่นเดียวกัน।

Word by Word

• kāma-bījam: the Kāma seed-syllable
• kāma-bījam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); कर्म (object) (to be written/placed)

• ravi-dale: in the sun-petal (section)
• ravi-dale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi + dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); अधिकरण

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial locative

• mantra-āvṛta-abhidhām: the name/inscription enclosed by the mantra
• mantra-āvṛta-abhidhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra + āvṛta + abhidhā (प्रातिपदिक; āvṛta as कृदन्त from √vṛ ‘to cover/enclose’)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); ‘abhidhā’ = name/denotation; qualified by āvṛta ‘enclosed’

• sudarśana-āvṛtam: enclosed by (the mantra) Sudarśana
• sudarśana-āvṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sudarśana + āvṛta (प्रातिपदिक; āvṛta as कृदन्त from √vṛ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally (something ‘enclosed by Sudarśana’)

• bāhye: on the outside
• bāhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial locative

• dikṣu: in the directions
• dikṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन); अधिकरण

• yugma-āvṛtam: enclosed by the pair (of syllables/mantras)
• yugma-āvṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yugma + āvṛta (प्रातिपदिक; āvṛta as कृदन्त from √vṛ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

Speaker

Narada (teaching mantra/yantra procedure within the Vedanga-technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sudarshana
• Surya

FAQs

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

It teaches a protective and focused mantra-configuration: placing a bīja at the center and sealing it with Sudarśana as an outer spiritual armor, emphasizing disciplined mantra-śakti and safeguarding the sādhaka.

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

By prescribing Sudarśana-āvṛti (encirclement by Sudarśana), it frames mantra-practice as devotion expressed through precise worship-technology—seeking Vishnu’s protective grace via His chakra principle.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-technical procedure: yantra/nyāsa placement (center, outer ring, directions) and mantra-āvṛti rules—showing applied liturgy and structured recitation/installation rather than abstract philosophy.