Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

मासमेकं तु वशगास्तस्य स्युः सर्वपार्थिवाः । करवीरसुमैः श्वतैर्लक्षसंख्यैर्जुहोति यः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

māsamekaṃ tu vaśagāstasya syuḥ sarvapārthivāḥ | karavīrasumaiḥ śvatairlakṣasaṃkhyairjuhoti yaḥ || 23 ||

Translation

Wer jedoch einen Monat lang im Homa hunderttausend Opfergaben mit weißen Karavīra-Blüten darbringt, dem werden alle Könige der Erde seinem Willen untertan.

Word by Word

• मासम्: (for) a month
• मासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• वश-गाः: submissive, under control
• वश-गाः: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक; √गम्-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्युः: would be
• स्युः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• सर्व-पार्थिवाः: all kings/earthly rulers
• सर्व-पार्थिवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• करवीर-सुमैः: with karavīra flowers
• करवीर-सुमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक) + सुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्वतैः: white
• श्वतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लक्ष-संख्यैः: in number of a lakh (100,000)
• लक्ष-संख्यैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जुहोति: offers (into fire)
• जुहोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on ritual results in the Vedanga/kalpa-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It exemplifies a phala-śruti style teaching: specific, rule-bound ritual action (homa with a prescribed substance and count) is said to yield a defined worldly result—temporary influence over rulers—highlighting the text’s technical/ritual orientation in Book 1.3.

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

Bhakti is not explicit here; the verse focuses on ritual efficacy (kriyā-phala). In the broader Purāṇic frame, such rites are often understood as auxiliaries that can be subordinated to devotion when performed with reverence and right intention, but the stated fruit is primarily worldly (aiśvarya).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-oriented ritual detail is emphasized: selection of offering material (white karavīra flowers), the act of juhoti (homa/āhuti), and the quantified count (lakṣa = 100,000), reflecting procedural precision typical of Vedāṅga-linked ritual instruction.