Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

माप्रा नमामि च पदं नास्ति यस्मिन्स कीलितः । एवं मध्ये द्वयं मूर्ध्नि यस्मिन्नस्त्रलकारकौ ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

māprā namāmi ca padaṃ nāsti yasminsa kīlitaḥ | evaṃ madhye dvayaṃ mūrdhni yasminnastralakārakau || 28 ||

Translation

在“māprā”一词中，以及同样在“namāmi”中，并无任何字母被“钉定”（即被标为不可移易）。因此，中间有二者，而在词首则有那些充当技术性标记（lakāra）的字母。

Word by Word

• मा-प्रा: mā + prā (prohibitive/prefix cluster)
• मा-प्रा: क्रियाविशेषण/निषेध (Modifier/Prohibitive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा + प्रा (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय-समूहः; मा (निषेध/particle) + प्रा (उपसर्ग/indeclinable prefix)

• नमामि: I bow
• नमामि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person/उत्तम), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: "and")

• पदम्: a word/foot (pada)
• पदम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as subject of अस्ति/नास्ति

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation: "not")

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सम्बन्ध (relative pronoun: "in which")

• सः: that (one)
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अन्वय-प्रत्यय (correlative: "that")

• कीलितः: fixed/nailed; pinned
• कीलितः: समनाधिकरण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीलित (कृदन्त; √कील्/कीलय् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: "thus")

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative: "in the middle")

• द्वयम्: a pair; two
• द्वयम्: कर्ता/कर्म (Subject/Object per context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; numeral noun "a pair"

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative: "on the head")

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; "in which"

• अस्त्र-लकारकौ: astra and lakāra (the two)
• अस्त्र-लकारकौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र + लकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (अस्त्रः + लकारः)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (in instruction to Nārada on technical śāstra/grammar)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that accurate understanding of sacred words depends on technical śāstra (especially Vyākaraṇa/Śikṣā); correct linguistic analysis safeguards mantra-meaning and thus supports disciplined dharma and worship.

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

Bhakti is strengthened when names, prayers, and mantras are recited and interpreted correctly; this verse supports devotion indirectly by grounding worship in precise verbal knowledge (śabda-pramāṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa-style analysis of letters within a word—identifying positions (beginning/middle) and the role of grammatical markers (indicatory signs) used for deriving correct forms and meanings.