Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 169

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

पंचावृत्त्या नरा नार्यो नृपा देवाश्च जंतवः । भजंत्येनं साधकं च देव्यामाहितचेतसः ॥ १६९ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcāvṛttyā narā nāryo nṛpā devāśca jaṃtavaḥ | bhajaṃtyenaṃ sādhakaṃ ca devyāmāhitacetasaḥ || 169 ||

Translation

เมื่อสวดซ้ำห้าครั้ง ชายหญิง กษัตริย์ เทวดา และสรรพสัตว์ย่อมบูชาพระองค์ และผู้ปฏิบัติเองก็มีจิตตั้งมั่นในพระเทวี ได้รับการบูชาด้วยภักติ

Word by Word

• pañca-āvṛttyā: by five repetitions
• pañca-āvṛttyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• nāryaḥ: women
• nāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; वैदिक/छान्दस रूप 'nāryaḥ' = 'nāryaḥ/nāryaḥ' (women)

• nṛpāḥ: kings
• nṛpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

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

• jaṃtavaḥ: creatures
• jaṃtavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṃtu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• bhajanti: worship/serve
• bhajanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• enam: him/this one
• enam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• sādhakam: the practitioner
• sādhakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (as apposition to 'enam')

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

• devyām: in/with regard to the Goddess
• devyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• āhita-cetasaḥ: those whose minds are fixed (on her)
• āhita-cetasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āhita (कृदन्त; √dhā (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग ā-) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'āhitaṃ cetas yeṣām' (mind fixed/placed)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue tradition with Sanatkumara lineage; verse presents an instructional statement within the teaching flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Goddess)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that disciplined, structured repetition (fivefold recitation) makes worship universally effective—accessible to all classes of beings—while requiring inner concentration, especially a mind firmly established in the chosen divine focus (here, the Goddess).

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

Bhakti is shown as both outer practice (repetition/rite performed in set counts) and inner absorption (āhita-cetasaḥ). The verse links successful worship to steady devotional attention, not merely to status (men, women, kings, gods alike).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A procedural rule of mantra-practice is implied: āvṛtti (repetition count) as a technical discipline of recitation, aligning with Vedanga-style precision in ritual/mantra performance (how many times and with what mental focus).