Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 97

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

अगुरुर्नवभागं स्यादितिभागक्रमेण च । हिमाद्भिः कन्यया पिष्टमेतत्सर्वं सुसाधितम् ॥ ९७ ॥

Transliteration

agururnavabhāgaṃ syāditibhāgakrameṇa ca | himādbhiḥ kanyayā piṣṭametatsarvaṃ susādhitam || 97 ||

Translation

Aguru, das Aloeholz, soll neun Teile ausmachen — so nach der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung der Mischverhältnisse. All dies sei von einem jungfräulichen Mädchen mit schneekaltem Wasser gründlich verrieben; so wird die Zubereitung rechtmäßig vollendet.

Word by Word

• अगुरुः: aguru (fragrant resin/wood)
• अगुरुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नव-भागम्: nine parts/one-ninth portion
• नव-भागम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (संख्यापूर्वक-निर्धारण)

• स्यात्: should be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निदर्शनार्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• भाग-क्रमेण: by the order of portions
• भाग-क्रमेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: भागानां क्रमः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• हिमात्: from snow/ice
• हिमात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• भिः: (particle in the phrase)
• भिः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भि (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश-निपात)
• Form: निपातः; ‘हिमाद्भिः’ इति पाठे संधि-सम्बद्धः अंशः (lexical particle used in some recipes/technical phrasing)

• कन्यया: by a maiden/girl
• कन्यया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पिष्टम्: ground/pounded
• पिष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिष् (धातु) → पिष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘ground/pounded’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘एतत्’)

• सु-साधितम्: well-prepared
• सु-साधितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + साध् (धातु) → साधित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः (सु + साधित); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘well-prepared’

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Vedanga/technical sciences context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It highlights that ritual efficacy depends on precision (bhāga-krama) and procedural purity—right proportion, right medium (snow-cooled water), and disciplined preparation—reflecting the Purana’s emphasis on correct anushthana.

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

While not explicitly devotional, it supports bhakti-based worship by prescribing how sacred substances are correctly prepared for offerings, showing that devotion is expressed through careful, reverent ritual conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical, technical rule of procedure—measurement by parts (bhāga) and method of processing (piṣṭa)—illustrating the Narada Purana’s Vedanga-like concern for standardized ritual technique.