Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

षट्कोणेषु षडर्णानि मन्त्रस्य विलिखेद् बुधः । अष्टपत्रे तथाष्टार्णांल्लिखेत्प्रणवगर्भितान् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

ṣaṭkoṇeṣu ṣaḍarṇāni mantrasya vilikhed budhaḥ | aṣṭapatre tathāṣṭārṇāṃllikhetpraṇavagarbhitān || 33 ||

Translation

智者应在六角形的六个三角中书写此咒的六个音节；同样，在八瓣莲上书写此咒的八个音节，并使每一音节皆含摄“普罗那瓦”（Praṇava，唵 Oṁ）。

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ-koṇeṣu: in the hexagons/hexagonal sections
• ṣaṭ-koṇeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ + koṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन); अधिकरण (location)

• ṣaḍ-arṇāni: the six syllables/letters
• ṣaḍ-arṇāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्म of vilikhet

• mantrasya: of the mantra
• mantrasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध

• vilikhet: should inscribe/draw
• vilikhet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + likh (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• budhaḥ: a wise person
• budhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṣṭa-patre: in the eight-petalled (lotus)
• aṣṭa-patre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); अधिकरण

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय) meaning ‘likewise/so’

• aṣṭa-arṇān: the eight syllables/letters
• aṣṭa-arṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्म of likhet

• likhet: should write
• likhet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: likh (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• praṇava-garbhitān: containing the praṇava (oṃ)
• praṇava-garbhitān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava + garbhita (प्रातिपदिक; garbhita as कृदन्त from √gṛbh/√garh? in usage ‘enclosed/containing’)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally qualifying aṣṭa-arṇān

Speaker

Narada (teaching technical mantra–yantra procedure, in the Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra is not only recited but also ritually “installed” through sacred geometry—placing syllables in prescribed forms to align sound (śabda) with form (rūpa), with Oṁ as the sanctifying core.

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

By emphasizing Praṇava-imbued mantra-writing, it frames devotion as disciplined worship: the devotee honors the deity through precise mantra-forms, treating the mantra as a living presence to be established with reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical ritual know-how—mantra-akṣara arrangement in yantras (a procedural/kalpa-style practice), including the rule of prefacing or embedding the Praṇava (Oṁ) in the syllables used for inscription.