Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 167

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

कट्यां जान्वोर्जंघयोश्च गुल्फयोः पादयोः क्रमात् । न्यसेद्धृदंतान्मंत्राणां सृष्टिन्यासोऽयमीरितः ॥ १६७ ॥

Transliteration

kaṭyāṃ jānvorjaṃghayośca gulphayoḥ pādayoḥ kramāt | nyaseddhṛdaṃtānmaṃtrāṇāṃ sṛṣṭinyāso'yamīritaḥ || 167 ||

Translation

เริ่มจากดวงหทัย แล้ววางนยาสะมนตร์ตามลำดับที่เอว เข่า หน้าแข้ง ข้อเท้า และเท้า—สิ่งนี้ประกาศว่าเป็น ‘สฤษฏิ-นยาสะ’ (นยาสะแห่งการกำเนิด)

Word by Word

• कट्याम्: at the waist/hip
• कट्याम्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जान्वोः: of the two knees
• जान्वोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual) — 'of the two knees'

• जङ्घयोः: of the two shanks
• जङ्घयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual) — 'of the two shanks/legs'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गुल्फयोः: of the two ankles
• गुल्फयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुल्फ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual) — 'of the two ankles'

• पादयोः: of the two feet
• पादयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual) — 'of the two feet'

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभावार्थे (instrumental used adverbially) — 'in order/stepwise'

• न्यसेत्: should place (perform nyāsa)
• न्यसेत्: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) [= न्यस्/न्यस्यति in usage]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद — 'should place/assign'

• हृद्-अन्तात्: from the heart-end (starting at the heart)
• हृद्-अन्तात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हृदः अन्तः = 'end/limit of the heart')

• मन्त्राणाम्: of the mantras
• मन्त्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सृष्टि-न्यासः: the creation-nyāsa
• सृष्टि-न्यासः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सृष्टेः न्यासः = 'nyāsa of creation')

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) — demonstrative pronoun

• ईरितः: is declared
• ईरितः: क्रियाविशेष्य (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) — 'is declared/said'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching 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 teaches sṛṣṭi-nyāsa—ritually installing mantra-power into the body step-by-step—so the practitioner’s limbs become fit instruments for worship and inner recollection.

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

By prescribing orderly mantra-nyāsa, it supports focused Viṣṇu-centered worship: devotion is stabilized through disciplined, embodied remembrance rather than scattered attention.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (prayoga) and precise sequencing (krama) of mantra application—an applied, technical aspect aligned with śikṣā (correct recitation/usage) and kalpa-style ritual method.