Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 124

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

क्रियाशक्तिं सुलक्ष्मीं च सृष्टिं संज्ञां च मोहिनीम् । प्रमथाश्वासिनीं विद्युल्लतां चिच्छक्तिमप्यथ ॥ १२४ ॥

Transliteration

kriyāśaktiṃ sulakṣmīṃ ca sṛṣṭiṃ saṃjñāṃ ca mohinīm | pramathāśvāsinīṃ vidyullatāṃ cicchaktimapyatha || 124 ||

Translation

Dann nennt er auch Kriyāśakti (die Kraft des Handelns), Sulakṣmī, Sṛṣṭi (die schöpferische Kraft), Saṁjñā (die Kraft der Benennung und Festlegung), Mohinī (die Kraft der Verblendung und Verzauberung), Pramathāśvāsinī, Vidyullatā (die Blitz-Ranke) sowie Cicchakti (die Kraft reinen Bewusstseins).

Word by Word

• क्रिया-शक्तिम्: power of action
• क्रिया-शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तत्पुरुष: क्रियायाः शक्तिः) Accusative singular

• सुलक्ष्मीम्: Sulakṣmī (name)
• सुलक्ष्मीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुलक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• सृष्टिम्: creation (Sṛṣṭi)
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• संज्ञाम्: designation/knowledge (Saṃjñā)
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• मोहिनीम्: Mohinī (enchantress; name)
• मोहिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्रमथा-श्वासिनीम्: Pramathāśvāsinī (name)
• प्रमथा-श्वासिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथा (प्रातिपदिक) + श्वासिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तत्पुरुष: प्रमथानां श्वासिनी/श्वासः) Accusative singular

• विद्युत्-लताम्: lightning-creeper (Vidyullatā)
• विद्युत्-लताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (कर्मधारय: विद्युत्-इव लता) Accusative singular

• चित्-शक्तिम्: power of consciousness
• चित्-शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तत्पुरुष: चितः शक्तिः) Accusative singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (sequencing particle)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kriyāśakti
• Sulakṣmī
• Sṛṣṭi
• Saṁjñā
• Mohinī
• Pramathāśvāsinī
• Vidyullatā
• Cicchakti

FAQs

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

The verse catalogs distinct śaktis (powers) that operate in manifestation—from action (kriyā) and creation (sṛṣṭi) to delusion (mohinī) and pure awareness (cit)—showing that worldly experience and liberation both depend on understanding these operative principles.

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

By distinguishing mohini (deluding power) from cicchakti (consciousness power), the verse implies that bhakti matures when devotion turns the mind away from enchantment and toward clear awareness of the divine source behind all powers.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The term saṁjñā points to technical designation—central to Vyākaraṇa (grammar) and śāstra method—where precise naming and definition organize complex teachings, including classifications of powers and ritual-technical vocabulary.