Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

ताराख्या देवता बीजं द्वितीयञ्च चतुर्थकम् । शक्तिः षड्दीर्घयुक्तेन द्वितीयेनांगकल्पनम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

tārākhyā devatā bījaṃ dvitīyañca caturthakam | śaktiḥ ṣaḍdīrghayuktena dvitīyenāṃgakalpanam || 38 ||

Translation

Die vorsitzende Gottheit ist die als Tārā bekannte. Das bīja (Samenlaut) wird gebildet, indem man den zweiten (Vokal) mit dem vierten (Konsonantenelement) verbindet. Die śakti (Kraftsilbe) erhält man, indem man den zweiten mit dem sechsten langen Vokal vereint; und die aṅga (Hilfsglieder für den nyāsa) sind anzuordnen, indem man wiederum den zweiten als Grundlage nimmt.

Word by Word

• ताराख्या: named Tārā
• ताराख्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताराख्या (प्रातिपदिक; तारा+आख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘तारा-नाम्नी’ (fem. nom. sg.)

• देवता: the deity
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बीजम्: seed (mantra-syllable)
• बीजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय/उपपद-निर्देश (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• द्वितीयम्: the second
• द्वितीयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘बीजम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• चतुर्थकम्: the fourth (one)
• चतुर्थकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘बीजम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शक्तिः: the śakti (power)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• षड्दीर्घयुक्तेन: with that which is joined with six long vowels
• षड्दीर्घयुक्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्+दीर्घ+युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; युक्त = √युज् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण-निर्देश (instr. sg.)—‘षड्दीर्घैः युक्तेन’

• द्वितीयेन: with the second (one)
• द्वितीयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण-निर्देश (instr. sg.)

• अङ्गकल्पनम्: arrangement/assignment of the limbs (aṅga)
• अङ्गकल्पनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग+कल्पन (प्रातिपदिक; कल्पन = √कॢप् (धातु) ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्रिया-नाम (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Tārā

FAQs

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

It formalizes how a mantra is made effective in practice—by identifying its devatā (presiding consciousness), bīja (seed), śakti (energizing power), and aṅgas (nyāsa-limbs)—so the recitation becomes a disciplined, consecrated act rather than mere sound.

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

By insisting on devatā-dhyāna and correct mantra-structure, it frames devotion as precise worship: bhakti is directed to the deity (here, Tārā) through a properly empowered mantra, aligning emotion with ritual competence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical phonetic-letter operations used in mantra-śāstra—deriving bīja/śakti through specified vowel–consonant combinations and applying aṅga-nyāsa—closely allied to Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa-style letter analysis.