Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

शक्तीश्च तत्समाकारतेजोहेतिभिरन्विताः । पूजयेत्तद्वदभितः स्मितास्या विजयादिकाः ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

śaktīśca tatsamākāratejohetibhiranvitāḥ | pūjayettadvadabhitaḥ smitāsyā vijayādikāḥ || 96 ||

Translation

ويُعبَد كذلك الشَّكتيات الإلهيّات (Śaktis) ذواتُ الهيئة المشابهة لهيئته، المتلألئات بهاءً والحاملاتِ للأسلحة. وكذلك من حوله تُعبَد الآلهةُ ذواتُ الوجوه المبتسمة، مثل فيجايَا (Vijayā) وغيرِها.

Word by Word

• śaktīḥ: the powers (Śaktis)
• śaktīḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• tat-samākāra-tejaḥ-hetibhiḥ: with energies/weapons of the same form
• tat-samākāra-tejaḥ-hetibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + samākāra (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक) + heti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग-समाहार (head: heti/tejas as collective), तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: तत्समाकारैः तेजोहेतिभिः = with weapons/energies of that same form

• anvitāḥ: endowed/associated
• anvitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anvita (कृदन्त, √i in sense ‘accompanied/endowed’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (or mixed group), प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन; कृदन्त (क्त)

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tad-vat: likewise
• tad-vat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vat (प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यतासूचक (adverb) = ‘in that manner/likewise’

• abhitaḥ: all around
• abhitaḥ: Deśa-viśeṣaṇa (देशविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhitaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• smita-āsyāḥ: smiling-faced
• smita-āsyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smita (प्रातिपदिक) + āsyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with vijayādikāḥ); कर्मधारय: स्मितं आस्यं यस्याः = smiling-faced

• vijaya-ādikāḥ: Vijayā and the others (attendant Śaktis)
• vijaya-ādikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: विजय-आदि (Vijayā and others)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a procedural/ritual instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shakti
• Vijaya

FAQs

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

It teaches āvaraṇa-pūjā—honoring the Lord together with His attendant Śaktis and surrounding deities—so worship becomes complete, integrated, and aligned with divine powers that protect and perfect the sādhaka’s rite.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, orderly service: the devotee worships not only the central Deity but also His energies and retinue, cultivating humility, completeness of offering, and a sense of divine presence in all directions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects practical ritual-science: iconographic cues (form, radiance, weapons) and spatial sequencing (worship “all around”), which align with kalpa-style procedural discipline used in temple and domestic pūjā systems.