Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 93

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

प्रणवो वाग्भवं माया श्रीः कामः शक्तिरीरिता । सरस्वती चतुर्थ्यंता स्वाहांतो द्वादशाक्षरः ॥ ९३ ॥

Transliteration

praṇavo vāgbhavaṃ māyā śrīḥ kāmaḥ śaktirīritā | sarasvatī caturthyaṃtā svāhāṃto dvādaśākṣaraḥ || 93 ||

Translation

پرنَو ‘اوم’، واگبھَو، مایا، شری، کام اور ‘شکتی’ کہے گئے؛ پھر چوتھی حالت میں ‘سرسوتَیَے’ شامل کرکے آخر میں ‘سواہا’ لگانے سے یہ بارہ اکشری منتر بنتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• प्रणवः: the syllable Oṃ (praṇava)
• प्रणवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाग्भवम्: vāgbhava (seed-syllable)
• वाग्भवम्: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्-भव (प्रातिपदिक; वाक् + भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('arising from speech' / name of bīja)

• माया: māyā (seed-syllable/name)
• माया: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रीः: śrī (seed-syllable/name)
• श्रीः: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामः: kāma (seed-syllable/name)
• कामः: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शक्तिः: śakti (seed-syllable/name)
• शक्तिः: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईरिता: is declared/uttered
• ईरिता: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईरित (प्रातिपदिक; √ईर्/√ईड्? as PPP 'uttered/declared')
• Form: क्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); शक्तिः इरिता = 'śakti is said'

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्थ्यन्ता: ending with the fourth (dative) ending
• चतुर्थ्यन्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थी-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर्थी + अन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('ending with the fourth (case/ending)')

• स्वाहान्तः: ending with “svāhā”
• स्वाहान्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाहा-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; स्वाहा + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('ending with svāhā')

• द्वादशाक्षरः: twelve-syllabled
• द्वादशाक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + अक्षर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगुसमासः (numeral compound: 'twelve-syllabled')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Om (Praṇava)
• Sarasvatī
• Śrī (Lakṣmī epithet)

FAQs

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

It codifies a precise mantra-structure: combining seed-terms (bīja-like elements), grammatical case (caturthī), and the ritual ending “svāhā” to produce a correctly measured twelve-syllable mantra—showing that spiritual efficacy is linked to exact sound-form and rule-governed recitation.

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

Though technical, it supports Bhakti by giving a disciplined method to invoke divine power through mantra—especially via Sarasvatī and Śrī—so devotion is expressed as regulated japa/homa rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa and Śikṣā are implicit: the verse specifies caturthī (dative case) usage and the importance of syllable-count (dvādaśākṣara), both essential for correct mantra pronunciation, construction, and ritual application with “svāhā.”