Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 196

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

Devanagari script

हृदयं मम च ब्रूयाद्वशंकुरुयुगं शिरः । प्रोक्तो मदनमंत्रोऽष्टचत्वारिंशद्भिरक्षरैः ॥ १९६ ॥

Transliteration

hṛdayaṃ mama ca brūyādvaśaṃkuruyugaṃ śiraḥ | prokto madanamaṃtro'ṣṭacatvāriṃśadbhirakṣaraiḥ || 196 ||

Translation

ให้กล่าวว่า “ดวงใจของข้า” แล้วกล่าว “คู่แห่งการทำให้ยอมอยู่ใต้อำนาจ” และวางไว้เหนือศีรษะ ดังนี้คือมทนะมนตร์ อันประกอบด้วยสี่สิบแปดพยางค์

Word by Word

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ब्रूयात्: should say/utter
• ब्रूयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वशम्: control, subjugation
• वशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुरु-युगम्: pair (yuga) of the Kurus / Kuru-pair (as a mantra-element)
• कुरु-युगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'कुरूणां युगम्'

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रोक्तः: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मदन-मन्त्रः: the Madana (Cupid) mantra
• मदन-मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'मदनस्य मन्त्रः'

• अष्ट-चत्वारिंशद्भिः: with forty-eight
• अष्ट-चत्वारिंशद्भिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + चत्वारिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-समास (numeral compound; additive dvandva), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अक्षरैः: syllables
• अक्षरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Narada (teaching mantra-vidhi within Vedanga/technical discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Madana (Kāma)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes mantra-vidyā as a precise discipline: correct phrasing, placement (on the head), and exact syllable-count are presented as essential to the efficacy of a mantra-prayoga.

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

Indirectly: it contrasts technical mantra-practice with devotional intent by showing that even specialized rites are taught with strict rules; in the Purāṇic framework, such practices are ideally subordinated to dharma and higher spiritual aims.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Akṣara-nirdeśa (syllable specification) and prayoga-vidhi (procedural application) reflect technical precision akin to Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (correct utterance/formation) used in mantra practice.