Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 111

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

महोच्छुष्मां स्वनामादिवर्णबीजपुरः सराः । मातंग्यंताः षडंगानि ततः कुर्वीत साधकः ॥ १११ ॥

Transliteration

mahocchuṣmāṃ svanāmādivarṇabījapuraḥ sarāḥ | mātaṃgyaṃtāḥ ṣaḍaṃgāni tataḥ kurvīta sādhakaḥ || 111 ||

Translation

Dann soll der Sādhaka die sechs Hilfsglieder (ṣaḍaṅga) vollziehen, beginnend mit dem Mantra der Mahocchuṣmā—eingeleitet von Bīja-Silben, die aus den Anfangsbuchstaben ihres eigenen Namens gebildet und mit den passenden Vokalen versehen sind—und endend mit dem Mantra der Mātaṅgī.

Word by Word

• महा-उच्छुष्माम्: ‘Mahocchuṣmā’
• महा-उच्छुष्माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्छुष्मा (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती उच्छुष्मा)

• स्व-नाम-आदि-वर्ण-बीज-पुरःसराः: having as a prefix the seed-syllables beginning with one’s own name
• स्व-नाम-आदि-वर्ण-बीज-पुरःसराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (येषां स्वनामादिवर्णबीजानि पुरःसराणि ते)

• मातङ्गी-अन्ताः: ending with ‘Mātaṅgī’
• मातङ्गी-अन्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (मातङ्गीपर्यन्ताः)

• षड्-अङ्गानि: the six limbs (ṣaḍaṅgas)
• षड्-अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (षडङ्ग = six limbs/ancillaries)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक/अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु; करण)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधकः: the practitioner
• साधकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical Vedanga/Mantra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mahocchuṣmā
• Mātaṅgī

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined mantra-practice: the sādhaka sanctifies and stabilizes the mantra by applying its six auxiliaries (ṣaḍaṅga), framed by specific deity-mantras (Mahocchuṣmā to Mātaṅgī) and precise phonetic construction using bīja and vowels.

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

Although technical, it supports devotion by prescribing a reverent, rule-based way to approach deity-mantras—showing that bhakti can be expressed through careful ritual speech (mantra) and correct procedure, not only through emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa-style attention to letters and vowels are implied through “varṇa-bīja” and “sarāḥ,” underscoring that correct sound-formation and sequencing are essential in Narada Purana’s ritual instructions.