Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 196

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

तथैवाष्टच्छद पद्मं विधायावाह्य तत्र ताम् । तत्तच्छक्त्या वृतां सम्यगुपचारैस्तथार्चयेत् ॥ १९६ ॥

Transliteration

tathaivāṣṭacchada padmaṃ vidhāyāvāhya tatra tām | tattacchaktyā vṛtāṃ samyagupacāraistathārcayet || 196 ||

Translation

Ebenso fertige einen achtblättrigen Lotos und rufe Sie dort herbei. Dann, von den jeweiligen Śaktis umgeben, soll man Sie ordnungsgemäß mit den passenden Upacāras, den rituellen Darbringungen, verehren.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/likewise)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/just)

• अष्ट-छद: eight-petalled
• अष्ट-छद: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अष्ट छदाः यस्य = eight-petalled)

• पद्मम्: lotus (diagram)
• पद्मम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विधाय: having made
• विधाय: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having made)

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having invoked/brought)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्-तत्-शक्त्या: by each respective Shakti
• तत्-तत्-शक्त्या: करण (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-विशेषणयुक्त कर्मधारयः (तत् तत् = respective/each)

• वृताम्: surrounded
• वृताम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP, √वृ 'वरणे')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (properly)

• उपचारैः: with ritual services/offerings
• उपचारैः: करण (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/likewise)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: क्रिया (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Shakti)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that inner devotion is expressed through precise sacred form: establishing a pure seat (the eight-petalled lotus), invoking the deity (āvāhana), and honoring the deity’s manifested powers (śaktis) through disciplined worship.

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

Bhakti here is shown as reverent service (upacāra-sevā): the devotee invites the divine presence, visualizes the deity with attendant śaktis, and offers worship carefully—turning devotion into sustained, attentive practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical procedure—maṇḍala/padma construction, āvāhana (invocation), and upacāra-krama (sequence of offerings)—a practical aspect aligned with kalpa-style ritual method and liturgical discipline.