Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

ललितायास्त्रिभिवर्णैः सकलार्थोऽभिधीयते । शेषेण देवीरूपेण तेन स्यादिदमीरितम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

lalitāyāstribhivarṇaiḥ sakalārtho'bhidhīyate | śeṣeṇa devīrūpeṇa tena syādidamīritam || 2 ||

Translation

Im (Namen) „Lalitā“ wird der ganze Sinn durch drei Silben ausgedrückt; und durch den verbleibenden Teil—als die eigene Gestalt der Göttin verstanden—wird diese Aussage so verkündet.

Word by Word

• ललितायाः: of Lalitā
• ललितायाः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (Numeral; here masculine/neuter form), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वर्णैः: letters/syllables
• वर्णैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सकलः: entire
• सकलः: विशेषण (Qualifier of अर्थः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्थः: meaning/purport
• अर्थः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभिधीयते: is expressed
• अभिधीयते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• शेषेण: by the remainder
• शेषेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवी-रूपेण: in the form of the Goddess
• देवी-रूपेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: देव्याः रूपम्

• तेन: thereby/with that
• तेन: हेतु/करण (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc./Neut.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्यात्: would be / may be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईरितम्: stated/uttered
• ईरितम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga-style explanation of varṇa/akṣara meaning)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lalitā
• Devī

FAQs

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

It teaches that a divine name is not merely a label: its meaning is carried by specific syllables, and the remaining sound-structure is contemplated as the very form (rūpa) of the Goddess—linking śabda (sound) to devatā (deity).

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

By presenting the Goddess as present in the very phonemes of her name, it supports nāma-upāsanā (devotional contemplation of the Name), where devotion is practiced through precise remembrance/recitation with meaning-awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a Vedāṅga method—especially Vyākaraṇa/Śikṣā-oriented attention to varṇa (phoneme), pronunciation, and semantic derivation—showing how mantra meaning is analyzed through syllabic structure.