Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

दधानां दक्षिणैः पद्ममंकुशं पुष्पसायकम् । तथाविधाभिः परितो युतां शक्तिगणैः स्तुतैः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

dadhānāṃ dakṣiṇaiḥ padmamaṃkuśaṃ puṣpasāyakam | tathāvidhābhiḥ parito yutāṃ śaktigaṇaiḥ stutaiḥ || 77 ||

Translation

In ihren rechten Händen hält sie Lotos, Aṅkuśa (Treibstachel) und den Blumenpfeil; und ringsum ist sie von gepriesenen Scharen gleichartiger Śaktis umgeben.

Word by Word

• dadhānām: bearing/holding
• dadhānām: Karta (कर्ता) — adjectival to the subject
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dhā (धातु) → dadhāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनस्य विशेषणरूपेण (agreeing with yutām understood as Devī)

• dakṣiṇaiḥ: with the right (hands)
• dakṣiṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्ति बहुवचन (Instrumental plural) — ‘with right (hands)’ (elliptic: करैः)

• padmam: lotus
• padmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• aṅkuśam: goad
• aṅkuśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅkuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• puṣpa-sāyakam: flower-arrow
• puṣpa-sāyakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (puṣpāṇāṃ sāyakaḥ); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• tathā-vidhābhiḥ: with such (kinds of)
• tathā-vidhābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + vidhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (tathā + vidhā = ‘of such kind’); स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• paritaḥ: around, on all sides
• paritaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — adverbial (around)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paritaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• yutām: endowed (with)
• yutām: Karma (कर्म) — object of implied ‘dhyāyet/paśyet’ etc.
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular); ‘endowed/connected’ (qualifying implied Devī)

• śakti-gaṇaiḥ: with groups of powers
• śakti-gaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śaktīnāṃ gaṇāḥ); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• stutaiḥ: praised
• stutaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) — qualifier of instrument
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stuta (प्रातिपदिक; √stu धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural), agreeing with śakti-gaṇaiḥ

Speaker

Narada (narrating/teaching within a ritual-visualization context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Shakti (Divine Power)
• Padma (Lotus)
• Ankusha (Goad)
• Puspa-sayaka (Flower-arrow)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography): the deity is contemplated with specific emblems and is understood as inseparable from her śakti-gaṇas—powers that amplify protection, attraction, and spiritual uplift through stuti and focused visualization.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of stuti and upāsanā: praising the deity and mentally visualizing her attributes (lotus, aṅkuśa, flower-arrow) steadies the mind, deepens reverence, and makes devotion concrete through a clear devotional image.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the applied, technical side of worship—dhyāna and stuti used in mantra-ritual contexts (a prayoga-like detail). Such precision aligns with Vedāṅga-style discipline (especially kalpa-like procedural clarity), even when presented within a Purāṇic framework.