Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

केशरेष्वष्टपत्रस्य स्वरद्वंद्वं लिखेद् बुधः । बहिस्तु मातृकां चैव मन्त्रं प्राणनिधयनम् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

keśareṣvaṣṭapatrasya svaradvaṃdvaṃ likhed budhaḥ | bahistu mātṛkāṃ caiva mantraṃ prāṇanidhayanam || 37 ||

Translation

智者当于八瓣莲华之花丝（keśara）上书写诸元音之成对；其外则书写摩多利迦（Mātr̥kā，字母母体）并加书安置普拉那之真言（prāṇa-nidhāna）。

Word by Word

• केशरेषु: in the filaments (of the lotus)
• केशरेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; locative plural

• अष्टपत्रस्य: of the eight-petalled (lotus)
• अष्टपत्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टपत्र (प्रातिपदिक: अष्ट + पत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• स्वरद्वन्द्वम्: the pair/series of vowels
• स्वरद्वन्द्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरद्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक: स्वर + द्वन्द्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• लिखेत्: should write
• लिखेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; should write

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: देशाधिकरण (Deśādhikaraṇa/Locative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘outside’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) contrast/emphasis

• मातृकाम्: the mātr̥kā letters (alphabet)
• मातृकाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• प्राणनिधयनम्: the prāṇa-installation (placing of vital breath)
• प्राणनिधयनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणनिधयन (प्रातिपदिक: प्राण + निधयन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular; ‘placing/establishing of life-breath’ (nyāsa-like)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches a precise method of sanctifying a lotus-diagram by inscribing vowels and the Mātr̥kā, culminating in prāṇa-nidhāna—symbolically “animating” the mantra-form so worship becomes inwardly alive and effective.

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

By prescribing careful mantra-inscription and prāṇa-installation, it frames bhakti as disciplined worship: devotion expressed through accurate ritual attention that supports steady concentration on the deity and mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) and mantra-vidyā are implied: the correct handling of svaras (vowels) and Mātr̥kā (alphabetic matrix) is treated as a technical foundation for nyāsa and diagram-based worship.