Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

नारीरजोभिराकृष्टैर्मृगमांसैः समीहितम् । स्तंभनं माहिषैर्मांसैः पंकजैः सघृतैरपि ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

nārīrajobhirākṛṣṭairmṛgamāṃsaiḥ samīhitam | staṃbhanaṃ māhiṣairmāṃsaiḥ paṃkajaiḥ saghṛtairapi || 27 ||

Translation

Mit Wildbret vom Hirsch, das durch das Menstruationsblut einer Frau angezogen wurde, kann man das Gewünschte erlangen. Für den Ritus des Stambhana (Festhalten/Stillstellen) verwendet man Büffelfleisch; ebenso gelingt es mit Lotosblüten, die mit Ghee vermischt sind.

Word by Word

• नारी-रजोभिः: with women’s menstrual fluid/dust
• नारी-रजोभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नारीणां रजः) — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; genitive tatpurusha

• आकृष्टैः: drawn/attracted
• आकृष्टैः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + कृṣ् (कृष्) (धातु) → आकृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त — Masc/Neut, Instrumental, Plural; past passive participle

• मृग-मांसैः: with deer-meat
• मृग-मांसैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृगस्य मांसम्) — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; genitive tatpurusha

• समीहितम्: is intended/desired
• समीहितम्: विशेष्य-भाव (Predicate/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + ईह् (ईह) (धातु) → समीहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; desired/aimed-at

• स्तंभनम्: paralysis/immobilization (stambhana)
• स्तंभनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• माहिषैः: buffalo (related)
• माहिषैः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Masc/Neut, Instrumental, Plural

• मांसैः: with meat
• मांसैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पंकजैः: with lotuses
• पंकजैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पंकज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• स-घृतैः: together with ghee
• स-घृतैः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थक) + घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः (सह घृतैः) — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; avyayibhava ‘together with ghee’

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: समुच्चय/निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/also) — Indeclinable particle

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

This verse exemplifies the text’s technical-ritual strand in Book 1.3, describing operative means (prayoga) aimed at worldly effects—showing that such procedures are treated as part of applied ritual knowledge rather than as the highest spiritual goal.

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

It does not teach bhakti directly; instead, it contrasts with devotion by focusing on result-oriented rites (siddhi-prayoga). In the broader Narada Purana, such worldly methods are typically secondary to Vishnu-bhakti and dharmic restraint.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Applied ritual know-how—selection of substances and their intended ritual effect (e.g., stambhana). This aligns with technical disciplines discussed in Book 1.3, where procedural details and efficacy-oriented prescriptions are cataloged.