Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

पीठस्य शक्तयो मायात्मने हृत्पीठमंत्रकः । शिवरूपशवश्थां च शिवाभिर्दिक्षु वेष्टिताम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

pīṭhasya śaktayo māyātmane hṛtpīṭhamaṃtrakaḥ | śivarūpaśavaśthāṃ ca śivābhirdikṣu veṣṭitām || 11 ||

Translation

Die Śakti des Pīṭha gelten dem, dessen Wesen Māyā ist; der Hṛt-Pīṭha, der Herzsitz, hat sein eigenes Mantra. Und man soll die Leichengestalt, die dem Anschein nach Śiva ist, betrachten, ringsum von den Śivās der Himmelsrichtungen umhüllt.

Word by Word

• पीठस्य: of the seat/pīṭha
• पीठस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive/6th), एकवचन

• शक्तयः: powers/śaktis
• शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• माया-आत्मने: to Māyātmā (one whose essence is māyā)
• माया-आत्मने: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: मायायाः आत्मा (मायात्मा) तस्मै; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (dative/4th), एकवचन

• हृत्-पीठ-मन्त्रकः: the heart-pīṭha mantra (mantraka)
• हृत्-पीठ-मन्त्रकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (समाहार/निर्देश): हृदि स्थितं पीठं तस्य मन्त्रकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिव-रूप-शव-स्थाम्: (having) a corpse-form as Śiva’s form / in Śiva-form corpse-state
• शिव-रूप-शव-स्थाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + शव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: शिवरूपं शवम्; तस्य स्था (स्थितिः/अवस्था) यस्याम्; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (शक्तयः इति विशेषण/वर्णन)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• शिवाभिः: by/with the śivās (goddesses)
• शिवाभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative/7th), बहुवचन

• वेष्टिताम्: encircled
• वेष्टिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव (wrapped/encircled)

Speaker

Sage Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Śivāḥ)

FAQs

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

It presents an inner-ritual (dhyāna) model: the pīṭha is not only a geographic seat but an inner “heart-seat,” empowered by Śakti and stabilized by mantra, with protective directional encirclement by Śivā-energies.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent contemplation and mantra-based worship: the devotee internalizes the deity as the heart-seat and meditates on Śiva surrounded by Śakti-forms, turning devotion into focused ritual awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical ritual knowledge—mantra application and directional protection (dik-bandhana/āvaraṇa-bhāvanā), a procedure-like detail consistent with Narada Purana’s Book 1.3 focus on specialized sacred sciences.