Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

रक्तां करालिकां गुह्ये महोच्छुष्मां पदद्वये । ऊर्द्ध्वप्राग्दक्षिणोदीच्यपश्चिमेषूत्तरेऽपि च ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

raktāṃ karālikāṃ guhye mahocchuṣmāṃ padadvaye | ūrddhvaprāgdakṣiṇodīcyapaścimeṣūttare'pi ca || 9 ||

Translation

Man setze diese göttlichen Energien: Raktā, die Rote, und Karālikā in den geheimen Bereich (guhya); Mahocchuṣmā auf beide Füße; und ebenso ordne man sie der oberen Region und den Richtungen zu — Osten, Süden, Norden, Westen sowie auch dem nördlichen Quadranten.

Word by Word

• रक्ताम्: red
• रक्ताम्: कर्म (to be placed/visualized)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Acc.), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कस्यचित् मन्त्रवर्ण/शक्तेः)

• करालिकाम्: Karālikā (a fierce form/name)
• करालिकाम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: करालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Acc.), एकवचनम्

• गुह्ये: in the secret part (genital region)
• गुह्ये: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Loc.), एकवचनम्

• महोच्छुष्माम्: Mahocchuṣmā (the great ‘ucchuṣmā’ शक्ति/name)
• महोच्छुष्माम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + उच्छुष्मा (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Acc.), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः—‘महती उच्छुष्मा’

• पदद्वये: in the pair of feet / in two positions
• पदद्वये: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद + द्वय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Loc.), एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः—‘द्वे पदे’ (in the two feet/steps)

• ऊर्द्ध्व: upwards
• ऊर्द्ध्व: क्रियाविशेषण (directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्द्ध्व (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द)
• Form: दिक्/स्थानवाचक-अव्ययम् (directional adverb)

• प्राक्: eastwards
• प्राक्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द)
• Form: दिक्वाचक-अव्ययम् (eastward)

• दक्षिण: southwards
• दक्षिण: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द)
• Form: दिक्वाचक-अव्ययम् (southward)

• उदीच्य: northwards
• उदीच्य: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उदीच्य (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द)
• Form: दिक्वाचक-अव्ययम् (northward)

• पश्चिमेषु: in the western (places/directions)
• पश्चिमेषु: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Loc.), बहुवचनम्; दिक्वाचक-शब्दः

• उत्तरे: in the northern (place/direction)
• उत्तरे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Loc.), एकवचनम्; दिक्वाचक-शब्दः

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक (also/even)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the technical procedure of ritual placement/nyāsa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Karālikā
• Mahocchuṣmā

FAQs

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

It teaches protective and sanctifying installation (nyāsa) of specific śaktis on body-points and directions, treating the practitioner’s body and space as a consecrated field for mantra-sādhana.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti-based worship by prescribing how to ritually align the body and surroundings so the devotee’s practice becomes orderly, protected, and focused on the invoked divine powers.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science—directional assignment (dik-vinyāsa/dik-bandhana) and bodily placement (aṅga-nyāsa)—a technical discipline closely allied with mantra-prayoga traditions discussed alongside Vedāṅga-style procedural learning.