Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

सहितौ निजशक्तिभ्यां ध्यात्वा पूर्ववदर्चयेत् । केशरेषु षडंगानि पत्रेष्वष्टौ तु मातरः ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

sahitau nijaśaktibhyāṃ dhyātvā pūrvavadarcayet | keśareṣu ṣaḍaṃgāni patreṣvaṣṭau tu mātaraḥ || 34 ||

Translation

بعد التأمّل في الإلهين معًا مقرونَين بشكتيهما (Śakti) الذاتية، فليُعبَدا كما سَبَقَ البيان. وعلى خيوط الزهرة (keśara) تُثبَّت الأعضاء الستة المساندة (ṣaḍaṅga)، وعلى البتلات تُثبَّت قوى الأمهات الثمان (aṣṭa-mātṛkāḥ).

Word by Word

• सहितौ: the two (deities) together/associated
• सहितौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• निज: own
• निज: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; 'own' as compound member

• शक्तिभ्याम्: with (their) powers/śaktis
• शक्तिभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• निजशक्तिभ्याम्: with their own śaktis
• निजशक्तिभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) → ध्यात्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; gerund 'having meditated'

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb 'as before'

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should worship

• केशरेषु: in the filaments (of the lotus)
• केशरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; used as numeral in compound

• अंगानि: limbs/parts
• अंगानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; here Nominative plural (items to be placed)

• षडंगानि: the six limbs (ṣaḍaṅgas)
• षडंगानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + अंग (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• पत्रेषु: in the petals
• पत्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (विशेष्य-सापेक्ष); 'eight'

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; emphatic/contrastive particle

• मातरः: the Mothers (Mātṛkās)
• मातरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context, traditionally within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shakti
• Matrs (Matrkas)

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not merely external offering: the deity is contemplated together with Śakti, and the rite is completed by placing (nyāsa) mantra-energies—ṣaḍaṅga and the Mātṛkās—into the worship-lotus, making the practice both contemplative and energetically structured.

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

Bhakti here is disciplined devotion: the devotee first performs dhyāna (inner recollection of the deity with Śakti) and then follows pūrvavat-vidhi (scriptural method), showing devotion expressed through precise, reverent ritual order.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual-technology: mantra-nyāsa and the use of ṣaḍaṅga (mantra auxiliaries) and Mātṛkā placements on specific parts of a lotus/yantra—an example of technical liturgical procedure aligned with Vedic auxiliary disciplines used in worship.