Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 130

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

शंखपत्रां तु मातंगीं चित्रकोद्भासिमस्तकाम् । अयुतं प्रजपेन्मंत्रं तद्दशांशं मधूकजैः ॥ १३० ॥

Transliteration

śaṃkhapatrāṃ tu mātaṃgīṃ citrakodbhāsimastakām | ayutaṃ prajapenmaṃtraṃ taddaśāṃśaṃ madhūkajaiḥ || 130 ||

Translation

ينبغي أن يُتأمَّل في «ماتَنْغي» وهي حاملةٌ لِـśaṅkha-patra (ورقة على هيئة الصدفة) ورأسُها متلألئٌ ببريقٍ متنوع؛ ثم يُكرَّر المانترا عشرة آلاف مرة، وتُؤدَّى القرابين النارية بمقدار عُشر ذلك العدد، باستخدام قرابين من شجرة المَدهوكا (madhūka).

Word by Word

• शङ्खपत्राम्: having conch-like leaves/petals
• शङ्खपत्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख-पत्रा (प्रातिपदिक; components: शङ्ख + पत्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of मातङ्गी/देवता)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• मातङ्गीम्: Mātaṅgī (the goddess)
• मातङ्गीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चित्रकोद्भासिमस्तकाम्: whose head shines with a tilaka/mark
• चित्रकोद्भासिमस्तकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्रक-उद्भासि-मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक; components: चित्रक + उद्भासि + मस्तक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘चित्रकेन उद्भासि मस्तकं यस्याः’ (whose head shines with tilaka/mark)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand (times)
• अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten thousand)

• प्रजपेत्: should recite (japa)
• प्रजपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (referring to the japa count)

• दशांशम्: a tenth part
• दशांशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश-अंश (प्रातिपदिक; components: दश + अंश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मधूकजैः: with madhūka-products (e.g., flowers)
• मधूकजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधूकज (प्रातिपदिक; components: मधूक + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘मधूकात् जातैः’ (born of madhūka: madhūka-flowers/offerings)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure within the Vedanga/kalpa-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mātaṅgī

FAQs

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

It codifies a complete sādhana-unit: dhyāna (visualization of the deity’s form), japa (fixed repetition count), and homa (ritual sealing of practice) in a precise proportion, presenting discipline and measure as the means to mantra-siddhi.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as focused upāsanā—loving, steady attention to the deity’s form (Mātaṅgī-dhyāna) and faithful mantra-repetition—showing devotion as structured practice rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is foregrounded: a prescribed japa-saṅkhyā (10,000) and the standard daśāṃśa rule for homa (one-tenth of the japa count), along with specified dravya (madhūka-derived offerings).