Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

लक्ष्मीदयितवर्मान्तः शिरः प्रोक्तं शिखा पुनः । मन्मथो तमशब्दांते मंगजे पदमीरयेत् ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

lakṣmīdayitavarmāntaḥ śiraḥ proktaṃ śikhā punaḥ | manmatho tamaśabdāṃte maṃgaje padamīrayet || 158 ||

Translation

“لکشمی-دَیِت-ورمن” منتر کے آخر کو ‘شِرَس’ کہا گیا ہے؛ اور ‘شِکھا’ بھی اسی طرح۔ “تَمَس” کے بعد “مَنگَج” کا لفظ ادا کرے، اور “مَنمَتھ” کو مناسب مقام پر رکھے۔

Word by Word

• lakṣmī-dayita-varma-antaḥ: at the end of “lakṣmīdayitavarma”
• lakṣmī-dayita-varma-antaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक) + dayita (प्रातिपदिक) + varman (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverbial-locative sense “at the end of”; -antaḥ here used in sense of -ante (अन्ते) by metrical/orthographic variation

• śiraḥ: the head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd; प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• proktam: is stated
• proktam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prokta (कृदन्त; √vac ‘to say’, PPP with pra-)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; passive “is said/declared”

• śikhā: the topknot/crest-lock
• śikhā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st; प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय)

• manmathaḥ: (the word) Manmatha
• manmathaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manmatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st; प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tama-śabda-ante: at the end of the word “tamas”
• tama-śabda-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverbial-locative sense “at the end of the word ‘tamas’/‘tamaśabda’”

• maṃgaje: in/at “maṃgaja” (as the target word/segment)
• maṃgaje: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th; सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) (form used as locative/ending-specifier in mantra-instruction style)

• padam: the word/foot (pada)
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd; द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īrayet: should utter/recite
• īrayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īr (धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi
• Vishnu
• Manmatha

FAQs

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

It teaches precise mantra-structure for nyāsa—mapping specific mantra-endings and words to the ‘head’ and ‘topknot’ placements—so the practitioner internalizes divine protection and auspicious power in a disciplined, Vedic way.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, exact worship: the devotee honors Viṣṇu (as Lakṣmī’s beloved) through correct mantra-utterance and ritual placement, treating the deity’s names and protective formulas as sacred and carefully handled.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Śikṣā (phonetics/recitation) and mantra-viniyoga/nyāsa practice—where the exact word order, endings, and pronunciation determine the correct ritual application.