Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 144

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

प्राणो द्वितीयः स्वयुतो वनदुच्छक्तिभिः परः । इतीरिता त्र्यक्षराख्या नित्येयं कुलसुंदरी ॥ १४४ ॥

Transliteration

prāṇo dvitīyaḥ svayuto vanaducchaktibhiḥ paraḥ | itīritā tryakṣarākhyā nityeyaṃ kulasuṃdarī || 144 ||

Translation

‘প্রাণ’ দ্বিতীয় অক্ষর, যা ‘স্ব’ সহ যুক্ত; এবং ‘বন’ ও ‘দু’ দ্বারা নির্দেশিত শক্তির পরে স্থাপিত। এভাবেই ত্র্যক্ষরী নামে খ্যাত নিত্য কুলসুন্দরী ঘোষিত।

Word by Word

• प्राणः: prāṇa / life-breath
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वितीयः: second
• द्वितीयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्व-युतः: joined with ‘sva’
• स्व-युतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + युत (प्रातिपदिक; √युज्-क्त)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (स्वेन युतः), कृदन्तः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वन-दुत्-शक्तिभिः: with the powers ‘vana’ and ‘dut’
• वन-दुत्-शक्तिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन + दुत् + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः बहु-तत्पुरुषः (वन-दुत्-शक्तयः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• परः: supreme / beyond
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ईरिता: declared / stated
• ईरिता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईरित (प्रातिपदिक; √ईर्-क्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• त्रि-अक्षर-आख्या: named ‘three-syllabled’
• त्रि-अक्षर-आख्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + अक्षर + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (त्रीणि अक्षराणि यस्याः आख्या/नाम), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• नित्या: eternal
• नित्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• इयम्: this (she)
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुल-सुंदरी: the beauty of the lineage
• कुल-सुंदरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + सुंदरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुलस्य सुंदरी), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching mantra-vidya within the Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kulasundari
• Nitya (Devi)

FAQs

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

It encodes a specific three-syllabled (tri-akṣarī) formulation of Kulasundarī/Nityā, emphasizing that mantra is a precise arrangement of sound-powers (śaktis) whose order is itself spiritually operative.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of upāsanā: devotion expressed through faithful remembrance and correct recitation of the deity’s mantra, treating the Goddess as ‘nityā’—ever-present and approachable through sound.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and mantra-śāstra method: the verse teaches that syllable-order, junction (yuta), and placement (para) are technical rules for constructing and reciting mantras correctly.