Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

ऋषिं शिरसि वक्त्रे तु छंदश्च हृदि देवताम् । गुह्ये बीजं पदोः शक्तिं न्यसेत्साधकसत्तमः ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣiṃ śirasi vaktre tu chaṃdaśca hṛdi devatām | guhye bījaṃ padoḥ śaktiṃ nyasetsādhakasattamaḥ || 9 ||

Translation

ผู้ปฏิบัติอันประเสริฐพึงทำนยาสะ: วางฤๅษีไว้ที่ศีรษะ วางฉันท์ไว้ที่ปาก วางเทวะไว้ในดวงใจ วางพีชไว้ ณ ที่ลับ และวางศักติไว้ที่เท้าทั้งสอง

Word by Word

• ऋषिम्: the seer (ṛṣi)
• ऋषिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वक्त्रे: in the mouth/face
• वक्त्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• छन्दः: the metre (chandas)
• छन्दः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवताम्: the deity
• देवताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुह्ये: in the secret place (genitals)
• गुह्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बीजम्: the seed-syllable
• बीजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पदोः: at the feet (dual)
• पदोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Locative), द्विवचन (Dual); प्रायः सप्तमी-द्विवचनार्थे ‘पादयोः’ (at/on the feet)

• शक्तिम्: the śakti
• शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place (mentally assign)
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु; √न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• साधकसत्तमः: the best practitioner
• साधकसत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (साधकानां सत्तमः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches nyāsa as a disciplined way to internalize a mantra—linking its seer, meter, deity, seed, and power to the practitioner’s body so the practice becomes embodied and focused.

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

By placing the devatā in the heart through nyāsa, the verse frames worship as inner upāsanā—devotion becomes an inward, continuous remembrance rather than only an external rite.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-śāstra essentials used in ritual application—identifying ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā (mantra components) and applying them via nyāsa as part of technical liturgical procedure.