Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 174

Hanumān-mantra-kathana: Mantra-bheda, Nyāsa, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

अष्टच्छदेषु विलिखेत्प्रणवो वातुवात्विति । गोरोचनाकुंकुमेन लिखित्वा यंत्रमुत्तमम् ॥ १७४ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭacchadeṣu vilikhetpraṇavo vātuvātviti | gorocanākuṃkumena likhitvā yaṃtramuttamam || 174 ||

Translation

บนกลีบทั้งแปด ให้จารึกปรณวะ ‘โอม’ พร้อมมนต์ “วาตุ-วาตุ” เมื่อเขียนด้วยโกโรจนาและหญ้าฝรั่น (กุงกุมะ) ยันตระนี้ย่อมเป็นยอดเยี่ยม.

Word by Word

• अष्टच्छदेषु: in the eight petals/leaves
• अष्टच्छदेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• विलिखेत्: should inscribe/draw
• विलिखेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• प्रणवः: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be written)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वातु-वातु: ‘vātu vātu’ (mantra words)
• वातु-वातु: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be written/recited)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वातु (मन्त्रपद/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: अव्ययवत् मन्त्रपद-समुच्चयः; द्विर्वचनरूपेण (reduplicated mantra-word)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• गोरोचना-कुङ्कुमेन: with gorocanā and saffron
• गोरोचना-कुङ्कुमेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोरोचना (प्रातिपदिक) + कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (द्रव्यद्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः

• लिखित्वा: having written
• लिखित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• यन्त्रम्: the yantra/diagram
• यन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यन्त्रम्)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a technical ritual procedure, in the Vedanga/Mantra-yantra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It presents a precise method of yantra-lekhana where the Pranava (Oṁ) is placed on an eight-petalled design, indicating that ritual diagrams gain potency through correct mantra placement and sanctified materials.

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

By centering the yantra on Oṁ, the verse directs the practitioner toward reverent mantra-based worship; disciplined inscription and remembrance of sacred sound supports focused devotion and steadiness of mind.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual-technology—mantra-prayoga and yantra construction—showing procedural details (where to write the mantra and with which substances), a technical aspect aligned with Vedanga-style precision in practice.