Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

The Narration of the Navamī Vow Observed Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

स्रग्गंधवस्रनमनैवेद्यैश्चतुःष्टिस्तु योगिनीः । अत्रैव भद्रकालो तु योगिनीनां महाबला ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

sraggaṃdhavasranamanaivedyaiścatuḥṣṭistu yoginīḥ | atraiva bhadrakālo tu yoginīnāṃ mahābalā || 6 ||

Translation

Mit Blumengirlanden, Düften, Gewändern, Verneigungen und Naivedya (Speiseopfern) sollen die vierundsechzig Yoginīs verehrt werden. Eben hier ist auch Bhadrakālī zu ehren, die unter den Yoginīs von gewaltiger Kraft ist.

Word by Word

• स्रक्: with a garland
• स्रक्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज्/स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘with a garland’ (समाहार-तृतीया in list)

• गन्ध: with fragrance
• गन्ध: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘with fragrance’

• वस्त्र: with garments
• वस्त्र: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘with cloth/garment’

• नमन्: bowing/salutation
• नमन्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) / कृदन्त-रूपेण ‘नमन’ (act of bowing) इत्यर्थे; अत्र सूची-रूपेण ‘नमन’ (नपुंसक) अपेक्षितम्—पाठे ‘नमन’ इति ग्रहणीयम्

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• चतुःष्टिः: a group of forty
• चतुःष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुःष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संख्या-शब्दः (forty)

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

• योगिनीः: Yoginīs
• योगिनीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; (चतुःष्टिः—योगिनीः) इति कर्मत्वेन/उद्देश्यत्वेन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• एव: itself/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• भद्रकालः: Bhadrakāla
• भद्रकालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्रकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (भद्रः कालः)

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

• योगिनीनाम्: of the Yoginīs
• योगिनीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• महाबला: very powerful
• महाबला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महान् बलः यस्याः/यस्य) — अत्र भद्रकालस्य विशेषणम् (fem. agreement per text)

Speaker

Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers in the Anukramanika flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Mātṛ-vrata / Yoginī-pūjā (contextual)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Yoginis
• Bhadrakali

FAQs

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

It frames Yoginī-upāsanā as a structured devotional rite using traditional offerings (garlands, perfume, cloth, salutations, and naivedya), highlighting Bhadrakālī as a foremost, potent divine presence among the Yoginīs.

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

Bhakti is expressed through concrete acts of reverence—honoring divine powers with respectful bowing and offerings—showing devotion as disciplined worship (pūjā) rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: the verse lists standard upacāras (pūjā-items) such as gandha, vastra, namana, and naivedya for a prescribed deity-group (the 64 Yoginīs).