Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

नमो ग्रीवामकर्णेंदुस्थितौ पाश इमं ततः । दीपं गृहाण अमुकं रक्ष रक्ष पदं पुनः ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

namo grīvāmakarṇeṃdusthitau pāśa imaṃ tataḥ | dīpaṃ gṛhāṇa amukaṃ rakṣa rakṣa padaṃ punaḥ || 87 ||

Translation

Kính lễ! Hỡi Pāśa—sợi thòng lọng an trụ nơi cổ, tai được điểm trang vầng nguyệt—xin hãy nhận ngọn đèn này từ người tên ấy. Xin hộ trì, hộ trì lần nữa cho nơi chốn/bước này.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), नमस्कारार्थक निपात (salutatory particle)

• ग्रीवामकर्णेन्दुस्थितौ: in/at (the one) situated at the neck, ‘ma’, ear, and moon (mantra-nyāsa location)
• ग्रीवामकर्णेन्दुस्थितौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीवा + म + कर्ण + इन्दु + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (ग्रीवायाम्… कर्णे… इन्दौ… स्थितः—तस्मिन्)

• पाश: O Pāśa
• पाश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (sequencing adverb)

• दीपम्: the lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृहाण: take/accept
• गृहाण: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अमुकम्: such-and-such (specified)
• अमुकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); अनिर्दिष्टवाचक (indefinite ‘such-and-such’)

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• रक्ष: protect (again/emphatically)
• रक्ष: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• पदम्: the word/step
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), पुनरावृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of repetition)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada a mantra-prayoga in the Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Pāśa (noose-power)
• Indu (Moon)

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective mantra-prayoga: the practitioner salutes a binding/protective power symbolized as “Pāśa,” offers a lamp, and repeatedly invokes protection over a specified locus (pada), emphasizing safeguarding through mantra plus ritual act.

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

Bhakti appears here as reverential address (namo) and offering (dīpa-grahaṇa) joined with reliance on divine protection (rakṣa). Even in technical sections, devotion is expressed through surrender and ritualized remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It shows mantra-prayoga conventions used in ritual/auxiliary sciences: use of a name-placeholder (amuka), imperative repetitions for emphasis (rakṣa rakṣa), and coupling a spoken formula with a concrete rite (lamp offering) for a protective objective.