Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Bhuvaneśī (Nidrā-Śakti) Mantra-vidhi, Nyāsa–Āvaraṇa Worship, Padma-homa Prayogas, and the Opening of Śrī-Mahālakṣmī Upāsanā

Devanagari script

शशिलेखा गगनलेखा चेत्यष्टौ यत्र शक्तयः । खङ्गखेटकधारिण्यः श्यामाः पूज्याश्च मातरः ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

śaśilekhā gaganalekhā cetyaṣṭau yatra śaktayaḥ | khaṅgakheṭakadhāriṇyaḥ śyāmāḥ pūjyāśca mātaraḥ || 38 ||

Translation

Dort, in jenem heiligen Bereich, sind acht göttliche Śaktis—wie Śaśilekhā und Gaganalekhā—dunkel gefärbte Muttergöttinnen, verehrungswürdig, Schwert und Schild tragend.

Word by Word

• शशि-लेखा: Śaśilekhā (moon-marked)
• शशि-लेखा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि (प्रातिपदिक) + लेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शशिनः लेखा) — feminine nominative singular (name)

• गगन-लेखा: Gaganalekhā (sky-marked)
• गगन-लेखा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक) + लेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — feminine nominative singular (name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय — conjunction

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश — quotative particle ‘thus’

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (गणना-प्रयोगे), प्रथमा, बहुवचन (विशेष-रूप: अष्टौ); संख्या — nominative plural ‘eight’

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-वाचक — relative adverb ‘where’

• शक्तयः: Śaktis/powers (goddesses)
• शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — feminine nominative plural

• खङ्ग-खेटक-धारिण्यः: bearing sword and shield
• खङ्ग-खेटक-धारिण्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + खेटक (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधार, √धृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—(खङ्ग-खेटक) द्वन्द्वः + धारिणी (धारयन्ती) — feminine nominative plural, qualifying शक्तयः

• श्यामाः: dark/blue-hued
• श्यामाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — feminine nominative plural

• पूज्याः: worthy of worship
• पूज्याः: Vidhaya (विधेय/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त, √पूज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण — feminine nominative plural ‘to be worshipped’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय — conjunction

• मातरः: mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — feminine nominative plural

Speaker

Narada (within a Narada–Sanatkumara style instructional narration on ritual/technical enumerations)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Śaśilekhā
• Gaganalekhā
• Śaktis
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)

FAQs

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

It highlights venerable Mother-goddesses (Śaktis/Mātṛs) as protectors and powers to be worshipped, emphasizing that divine energy is approached through specific named forms and iconographic markers.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through reverential worship (pūjā) of the Mothers as concrete manifestations of Śakti—devotion becomes disciplined veneration of named deities with recognized attributes.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse functions as a technical enumeration used in ritual manuals—knowledge of deity-names and iconographic identifiers supports correct pūjā-vidhi (procedural worship), aligning with the text’s Book 1.3 emphasis on applied sacred sciences.