Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 101

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

पूर्वमंगानि षट्कोणे प्रज्ञाद्याः प्रयजेद्बहिः । प्रज्ञा मेधा श्रुतिः शक्तिः स्मृतिर्वागीश्वरी मतिः ॥ १०१ ॥

Transliteration

pūrvamaṃgāni ṣaṭkoṇe prajñādyāḥ prayajedbahiḥ | prajñā medhā śrutiḥ śaktiḥ smṛtirvāgīśvarī matiḥ || 101 ||

Translation

Im sechsstrahligen Hexagon (ṣaṭ-koṇa) verehre man zuerst die aṅga (Hilfsglieder); und außerhalb davon verehre man die Gottheiten, beginnend mit Prajñā: Prajñā (Weisheit), Medhā (Intellekt), Śruti (heilige Überlieferung), Śakti (Kraft), Smṛti (Erinnerung), Vāgīśvarī (Herrin der Rede) und Mati (Unterscheidungsvermögen).

Word by Word

• पूर्व-अङ्गानि: the preceding parts/limbs
• पूर्व-अङ्गानि: कर्म (Object; understood with प्रयजेत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (‘earlier/preceding limbs/parts’)

• षट्-कोणे: in the hexagon
• षट्-कोणे: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षट् कोणाः यस्य/षट्कोणः = hexagon)

• प्रज्ञा-आद्याः: (deities) beginning with Prajñā
• प्रज्ञा-आद्याः: कर्म (Object; apposition to names)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रज्ञा आदिः यासाम् = ‘those beginning with Prajñā’)

• प्रयजेत्: should worship (in sequence)
• प्रयजेत्: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: देशाधिकरण (place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: outside)

• प्रज्ञा: Prajñā (wisdom)
• प्रज्ञा: सम्बोधन/निर्देश (Name in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मेधा: Medhā (intelligence)
• मेधा: सम्बोधन/निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रुतिः: Śruti (revelation/hearing)
• श्रुतिः: सम्बोधन/निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शक्तिः: Śakti (power)
• शक्तिः: सम्बोधन/निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृतिः: Smṛti (memory/tradition)
• स्मृतिः: सम्बोधन/निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाक्-ईश्वरी: Vāgīśvarī (lady of speech)
• वाक्-ईश्वरी: सम्बोधन/निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वाचः ईश्वरी = ‘mistress of speech’)

• मतिः: Mati (thought)
• मतिः: सम्बोधन/निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical-ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prajñā
• Medhā
• Śruti
• Śakti
• Smṛti
• Vāgīśvarī
• Mati

FAQs

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

It maps inner faculties of sacred learning—wisdom, intellect, Vedic reception, power, memory, eloquence, and discernment—onto a precise ritual geometry, showing that knowledge is cultivated through both disciplined practice and divine invocation.

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

Even in a technical (Vedāṅga-like) ritual setting, the verse frames learning as worship: the seeker approaches knowledge as a set of venerable śaktis, aligning devotion with study, remembrance, and right speech.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-nyāsa and yantra-based worship procedure—how to place and honor specific knowledge-powers in and around a ṣaṭkoṇa diagram, supporting disciplines like śikṣā (correct recitation) and vyākaraṇa (clarity of speech).