Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

ऋषिर्ब्रह्मास्य निर्दिष्टश्छंदोऽनुष्टुबुदाहृतम् । देवता स्याद्धयग्रीवो वागैश्वर्यप्रदो विभुः ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣirbrahmāsya nirdiṣṭaśchaṃdo'nuṣṭubudāhṛtam | devatā syāddhayagrīvo vāgaiśvaryaprado vibhuḥ || 34 ||

Translation

Para sa (mantrang) ito, si Brahmā ang itinatakdang ṛṣi (tagakita), at ang sukat ng tula ay sinasabing Anuṣṭubh. Ang namamayaning diyos ay si Hayagrīva—ang Panginoong sumasaklaw sa lahat—na nagkakaloob ng kahusayan at kapangyarihan sa pananalita.

Word by Word

• ṛṣiḥ: seer (ṛṣi)
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular; proper name Brahmā

• asya: of this (mantra)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirdiṣṭaḥ: is specified/indicated
• nirdiṣṭaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir + diś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular; predicate adjective

• chandaḥ: metre
• chandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chandas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular

• anuṣṭup: Anuṣṭubh
• anuṣṭup: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anuṣṭubh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; metre-name

• udāhṛtam: is stated/declared
• udāhṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया; participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + ā + hṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Napumsaka, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with chandaḥ (as predicate)

• devatā: deity (presiding deity)
• devatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• hayagrīvaḥ: Hayagrīva
• hayagrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya-grīva (प्रातिपदिक; हय + ग्रीव)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular; bahuvrīhi ‘one whose neck is (like) a horse’ (name)

• vāk-aiśvarya-pradaḥ: giver of mastery of speech
• vāk-aiśvarya-pradaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāk-aiśvarya-prada (प्रातिपदिक; वाक् + ऐश्वर्य + प्रद)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifies hayagrīvaḥ/vibhuḥ

• vibhuḥ: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical Vedāṅga-style register; within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame of Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Hayagriva

FAQs

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

It gives the traditional mantra-anukramaṇikā markers—ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that mantra practice should be aligned with its seer, metre, and presiding deity; here, Hayagrīva is invoked as the divine source of sacred learning and empowered speech.

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

By naming Hayagrīva as the devatā who grants vāg-aiśvarya, it directs devotion toward a specific Viṣṇu-form associated with knowledge, making bhakti a disciplined practice where worship yields inner refinement—clarity, truthfulness, and spiritual eloquence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas and mantra-vidhi: the verse explicitly states the Anuṣṭubh metre and assigns ṛṣi/devatā, reflecting the practical rule that japa and recitation are performed with correct metrical awareness and proper deity-identification.