Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

अंगानि मंत्रवर्णैः स्युराद्येन हृदुदीरितम् । ततश्चतृर्भिः शीर्षं स्याच्छिखा त्रिभिरुदीरिता ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

aṃgāni maṃtravarṇaiḥ syurādyena hṛdudīritam | tataścatṛrbhiḥ śīrṣaṃ syācchikhā tribhirudīritā || 74 ||

Translation

منتر کے اکشروں سے اَنگ-نیاس کیا جائے۔ پہلے اکشر سے ہردیہ کو چھو کر آواہن کرے؛ پھر چار اکشروں سے سر کا نیاس؛ اور تین اکشروں سے شِکھا کا نیاس—یہی وِدھان ہے۔

Word by Word

• aṃgāni: limbs; parts
• aṃgāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• maṃtra-varṇaiḥ: by the mantra-syllables
• maṃtra-varṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃtra + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘by mantra-letters/syllables’

• syuḥ: would be; should be
• syuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ādyena: by the first (one)
• ādyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental ‘by the first’

• hṛt: heart
• hṛt: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; stem hṛd → hṛt (sandhi form)

• udīritam: uttered; declared
• udīritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udīrita (कृदन्त; √īr उद्+ईर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle (क्त)

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (adverb: ‘then/from that’)

• catṛrbhiḥ: with four (syllables)
• catṛrbhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; numeral ‘with four’

• śīrṣam: head
• śīrṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīrṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• syāt: would be; should be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śikhā: topknot; crest
• śikhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tribhiḥ: with three (syllables)
• tribhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; numeral

• udīritā: is uttered/formed
• udīritā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udīrita (कृदन्त; √īr उद्+ईर्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past passive participle (क्त) agreeing with śikhā

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches nyāsa—the sacralization of the practitioner’s body by installing mantra-syllables—so the body becomes a fit vessel for mantra-japa and worship, aligning inner awareness with the deity invoked by the mantra.

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

By prescribing mantra-placement on the heart, head, and śikhā, it frames devotion as embodied practice: bhakti is not only emotion but disciplined ritual attention that dedicates mind (head) and feeling (heart) to the deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-śāstra and ritual procedure (prayoga) are emphasized—specifically the technical sequencing and syllable-count allocation used in nyāsa, a practical application closely tied to Śikṣā (correct utterance) and Kalpa (ritual method).