Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

उपरिस्थां रतासक्तरतिमन्मथयोर्निजे । डाकिनीवर्णिनीसख्यौ दृष्ट्वा मोदभराकुलाम् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

uparisthāṃ ratāsaktaratimanmathayornije | ḍākinīvarṇinīsakhyau dṛṣṭvā modabharākulām || 8 ||

Translation

عند رؤيتها جالسة في الأعلى، داخل فلكهم الخاص، نظر راتي ومانماثا، المشتعلان بالعاطفة، إلى الرفيقتين، داكيني وفارنيني، وهما تغمرهما السعادة.

Word by Word

• उपरि-स्थाम्: standing above / situated on top
• उपरि-स्थाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय) + स्था (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle) ‘स्थाम्/स्थाम्’ (स्त्रीलिङ्ग रूप); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रति-आसक्त-रति-मन्मथयोः: of Rati and Manmatha (who are attached to pleasure)
• रति-आसक्त-रति-मन्मथयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त) + रति (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्मथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमासः—रति च मन्मथश्च; ‘रत्यासक्त’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः; पुं/स्त्री (समाहारद्वन्द्वे द्विवचन/द्वन्द्वे द्विवचन), षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन

• निजे: in/at their own (place)
• निजे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (स्थानवाचक)

• डाकिनी-वर्णिनी-सख्यौ: the two friends, Ḍākinī and Varṇinī
• डाकिनी-वर्णिनी-सख्यौ: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः—डाकिन्याः वर्णिन्याश्च सख्यौ; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having seen’

• मोद-भर-आकुलाम्: overwhelmed with a flood of joy
• मोद-भर-आकुलाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोद (प्रातिपदिक) + भर (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः—मोदस्य भरः (अत्यधिकः) तेन आकुला; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (narration within the Purana’s dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rati
• Manmatha (Kama)
• Dakini
• Varṇinī

FAQs

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

The verse depicts how beings like Kāma (Manmatha) and Rati perceive and react to delight and attachment, serving as a narrative reminder that joy driven by passion (ratāsakti) is a powerful force that can agitate the mind and bind attention.

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

By contrast: the verse highlights passion-centered exhilaration, which bhakti traditions in the Narada Purana typically redirect toward devotion to Bhagavan—transforming emotional intensity from sense-pleasure into single-minded loving remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse mainly showcases Sanskrit usage and poetic compound-building (samāsa) relevant to Vyākaraṇa and Alaṅkāra-style reading—e.g., the dense compound “ratāsaktaratimanmathayoḥ,” which is parsed to recover clear meaning.