Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

देवता जगतामादिर्दुर्गा दुर्गतिनाशिनी । ताराद्येकैकवर्णेन हृदयादित्रयं मतम् ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

devatā jagatāmādirdurgā durgatināśinī | tārādyekaikavarṇena hṛdayāditrayaṃ matam || 75 ||

Translation

The Goddess—Durgā, the primordial source of the worlds and the destroyer of misfortune—is declared to be the threefold set beginning with the “Hṛdaya,” each formed by single syllables starting with Tārā.

Word by Word

• देवता: deity
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• आदिः: the beginning / first
• आदिः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दुर्गा: Durgā
• दुर्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दुर्गतिनाशिनी: destroyer of misfortune
• दुर्गतिनाशिनी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्गतिनाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्गति + नाशिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दुर्गतेः नाशिनी)

• ताराद्य: by (the syllable) beginning with ‘tārā’
• ताराद्य: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताराद्य (प्रातिपदिक; तारा + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तारायाः आदि)

• एकैकवर्णेन: with each single letter
• एकैकवर्णेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकैकवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; एक + एक + वर्ण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (एकैकः वर्णः)

• हृदयादित्रयम्: the triad beginning with ‘hṛdaya’
• हृदयादित्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदयादित्रय (प्रातिपदिक; हृदय + आदि + त्रय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हृदयादि त्रयम्)

• मतम्: is considered
• मतम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; predicate adjective

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Tārā

FAQs

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

It identifies Durgā as the primal divine power and links her worship to a precise mantric structure—the “hṛdaya-traya”—showing that realization is approached through both devotion and exact mantra-application.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent Devī-upāsanā: recognizing Durgā as the world’s origin and seeking her grace to remove durgati (misfortune), while honoring the tradition’s prescribed mantra-forms.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-śāstra precision—working with varṇas (syllables/phonemes) and structured mantra sets (hṛdaya-traya), which relies on correct pronunciation and phonetics (Śikṣā) as a practical technical discipline.