Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

दशावतारो नृहरिं बीजं खं शक्तिरव्ययः । षड्दीर्घाढ्येन बीजेन कृत्वाङ्गानि च भावयेत् ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

daśāvatāro nṛhariṃ bījaṃ khaṃ śaktiravyayaḥ | ṣaḍdīrghāḍhyena bījena kṛtvāṅgāni ca bhāvayet || 158 ||

Translation

Quán niệm Nṛhari (Narasimha) làm chủng tự thần chú (bīja), và quán “kha” là năng lực (śakti) bất hoại; hành giả nên thực hiện aṅga-nyāsa và chiêm niệm các chi phần thần thánh bằng bīja được trang bị sáu nguyên âm dài.

Word by Word

• daśāvatāraḥ: Daśāvatāra (ten incarnations)
• daśāvatāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa-avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: दश + अवतार (द्विगु), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nṛharim: Nṛhari (Man-Lion)
• nṛharim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛhari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• bījam: seed-syllable
• bījam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kham: khaṃ (seed sound)
• kham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; syllable ‘khaṃ’

• śaktiḥ: Śakti (power)
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of mantra/śakti): ‘imperishable’

• ṣaṭdīrghāḍhyena: with the bīja endowed with six long (vowels)
• ṣaṭdīrghāḍhyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ-dīrgha-āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षट् + दीर्घ + आढ्य (तत्पुरुष; ‘endowed with six long vowels/lengthenings’), नपुंसक/पुं (instrumental form used adjectivally), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; qualifies bījena

• bījena: by/with the seed-syllable
• bījena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having done/made’

• aṅgāni: limbs/parts (of the mantra-nyāsa)
• aṅgāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• bhāvayet: should contemplate/visualize
• bhāvayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: णिच् causative stem (भावय-), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should contemplate/bring into being’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narasimha (Nṛhari)
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra is not merely recitation—its śakti is activated through nyāsa and bhāvanā (inner visualization), centering devotion on Nṛhari (Narasimha) as the protective divine presence.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as focused contemplation: the devotee internalizes the deity through limb-visualization (aṅga-bhāvanā) and reverent use of the bīja, turning ritual technique into intimate remembrance of Vishnu’s fierce, saving form.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Śikṣā/phonetics and mantra-vidhi: the deliberate use of vowel-length (dīrgha) and seed-syllables in ritual nyāsa, showing how sound-structure is treated as a functional spiritual technology.