Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Bhuvaneśī (Nidrā-Śakti) Mantra-vidhi, Nyāsa–Āvaraṇa Worship, Padma-homa Prayogas, and the Opening of Śrī-Mahālakṣmī Upāsanā

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माण्याद्यास्तनौ न्यस्य विधिना प्रोक्तलक्षणाः । मूलेन व्यापकं देहे न्यस्य देवीं विचिंतयेत् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

brahmāṇyādyāstanau nyasya vidhinā proktalakṣaṇāḥ | mūlena vyāpakaṃ dehe nyasya devīṃ viciṃtayet || 16 ||

Translation

依所说仪轨与相应标志，将以“Brahmāṇī”等开头的真言安置于双乳；继而以根本真言（mūla-mantra）将遍满之力遍布全身，并一心观想女神。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माणि-आद्याः: (those) beginning with Brahmāṇī
• ब्रह्माणि-आद्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्माणि (प्रातिपदिक) + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्माणि-आद्याः = ‘beginning with Brahmāṇī’)

• स्तनौ: the two breasts
• स्तनौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• न्यस्य: having placed
• न्यस्य: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√अस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having placed’

• विधिना: by the prescribed method
• विधिना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• प्रोक्त-लक्षणाः: having the stated characteristics
• प्रोक्त-लक्षणाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् धातु, क्त) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (प्रोक्तं लक्षणं यस्याः/यासाम्)

• मूलेन: with the root-(mantra)
• मूलेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• व्यापकं: all-pervading
• व्यापकं: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• देहे: in the body
• देहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• न्यस्य: having placed
• न्यस्य: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√अस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having placed’

• देवीं: the Goddess
• देवीं: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विचिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• विचिन्तयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an instructional/vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahmāṇī
• Devī (Goddess)

FAQs

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

It teaches internalization of worship: through nyāsa the deity’s power is ritually installed in the practitioner’s body, culminating in focused contemplation of the Devī as an all-pervading presence.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as embodied devotion—placing sacred powers through prescribed rites and then sustaining heartfelt meditation on the Goddess, turning ritual action into continuous inner remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical discipline (vidhi) and mantra application—how specific mantras are assigned to body-locations (nyāsa) and unified through the mūla-mantra for dhyāna-focused practice.