Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 147

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

अप्रतिहतवर्णांते बलाय प्रहतेति च । शासनांते तथा हुं फट् स्वाहास्त्रमनुरीरितः ॥ १४७ ॥

Transliteration

apratihatavarṇāṃte balāya prahateti ca | śāsanāṃte tathā huṃ phaṭ svāhāstramanurīritaḥ || 147 ||

Translation

เมื่อจบพยางค์ของมนต์ให้เติม “อประติหตะ (apratihata)—ไม่อาจขัดขวาง” และกล่าว “พละยะ (balāya)—เพื่อพลัง” กับ “ประหตะ (prahata)—จงฟาด!” ครั้นจบถ้อยคำสั่ง ให้เอ่ย “หุṃ”, “ผัฏ (phaṭ)”, และ “สวาหา” นี่คืออัสตรมันตระ (มนต์อาวุธ) ตามที่ประกาศไว้.

Word by Word

• अप्रतिहत-वर्ण-अन्ते: at the end of (the phrase) ‘apratihatavarṇa’
• अप्रतिहत-वर्ण-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + प्रतिहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √हन् with prati) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक ‘at the end of …’

• बलाय: for strength
• बलाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient/purpose)

• प्रहत: (the word) ‘prahata’ (struck/defeated)
• प्रहत: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) प्रातिपदिकवत्; मन्त्रपद-रूपेण (as mantra-word)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थे (quotative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• शासन-अन्ते: at the end of ‘śāsana’
• शासन-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise/also)

• हुम्: huṃ
• हुम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हुम् (अव्यय/बीजमन्त्र)
• Form: बीजाक्षर (bīja-mantra syllable), अव्यय

• फट्: phaṭ
• फट्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: फट् (अव्यय/बीजमन्त्र)
• Form: बीजाक्षर (bīja-mantra syllable), अव्यय

• स्वाहा: svāhā
• स्वाहा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: मन्त्र-निपात, अव्यय

• अस्त्र-मन्ुः: the weapon-mantra (astra-manu)
• अस्त्र-मन्ुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मन्त्रविशेषः

• ईरितः: is stated
• ईरितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘declared’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual instruction sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It codifies a protective “weapon-mantra” structure—showing how specific power-terms and bīja/exclamatory endings are appended to make a mantra ritually effective and spiritually ‘irresistible’ (apratihata) for safeguarding and removing obstacles.

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

Indirectly: it supports bhakti-practice by prescribing ritual safeguards (astra-mantra) that protect a sādhaka’s worship and japa from hindrances, aligning technical mantra-vidhi with devotional discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-śāstra style application tied to Vedāṅga concerns of correct verbal formulation—how endings and prescribed utterances (huṃ, phaṭ, svāhā) are appended in ritual grammar to produce a specific liturgical function.