Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

श्मशाने चंडिकागेहे निर्जने विपिनेऽपि वा । मध्यरात्रे यजेद्देवीं कृष्णवस्त्रविभूषणैः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

śmaśāne caṃḍikāgehe nirjane vipine'pi vā | madhyarātre yajeddevīṃ kṛṣṇavastravibhūṣaṇaiḥ || 44 ||

Translation

Auf dem Verbrennungsplatz, im Heiligtum der Caṇḍikā oder selbst in einem einsamen Wald soll man um Mitternacht die Göttin verehren, geschmückt mit schwarzen Gewändern und schwarzem Schmuck.

Word by Word

• श्मशाने: in a cremation-ground
• श्मशाने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चण्डिकागेहे: in the house/temple of Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिकागेहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक) + गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'of Caṇḍikā'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• निर्जने: in a lonely (place)
• निर्जने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) to 'विपिने' (or implied स्थान)

• विपिने: in a forest
• विपिने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/सम्भावना (particle: 'also/even')

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• मध्यरात्रे: at midnight
• मध्यरात्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यरात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• देवीं: the Goddess
• देवीं: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृष्णवस्त्रविभूषणैः: with black garments and ornaments
• कृष्णवस्त्रविभूषणैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समाससमूह (determinative: 'black garments and ornaments' as qualifying instruments), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the teaching flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Caṇḍikā

FAQs

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

It highlights a specific worship-setting (place and time) meant for intense, inward-focused Devī-upāsanā—solitude (forest), liminality (cremation-ground), and the charged midnight hour—emphasizing disciplined ritual intent over ordinary comfort.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as unwavering, rule-based worship (yajet) of the Devī, showing that devotion can require austerity, fearlessness, and single-pointed attention, performed according to prescribed conditions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/ritual-vidhi is implied: selecting the proper deśa (place), kāla (time—midnight), and veṣa (ritual attire—black garments/ornaments) as part of correct worship procedure.