Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 76

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

तारो माया भगं ब्रह्मा जटे सूर्यः सदीर्घकम् । यक्षाधिपतये तंद्रीसोपनीतं बलिं ततः ॥ ७६ ॥

Transliteration

tāro māyā bhagaṃ brahmā jaṭe sūryaḥ sadīrghakam | yakṣādhipataye taṃdrīsopanītaṃ baliṃ tataḥ || 76 ||

Translation

Then, with the mantra-words “Tāra,” “Māyā,” “Bhagaṃ,” “Brahmā,” and “Sūryaḥ” uttered in a long-drawn manner, and with the hair arranged in matted locks (jaṭā), he should thereafter present the bali-offering—brought forward with the rite, step by step—to the Lord of the Yakṣas.

Word by Word

• तारः: Tāra (syllable/name)
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माया: Māyā
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगम्: Bhaga (name/portion)
• भगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जटे: in the matted locks
• जटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• सूर्यः: Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स-दीर्घकम्: with lengthening (long vowel)
• स-दीर्घकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + दीर्घक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘दीर्घकं सह’ = with lengthening (phonetic instruction)

• यक्ष-अधिपतये: to the lord of the Yakṣas
• यक्ष-अधिपतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘यक्षाणाम् अधिपतिः’

• तन्द्री-सोपनीतम्: brought/placed (as) ‘tandrī’-accompanied
• तन्द्री-सोपनीतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तन्द्री (प्रातिपदिक) + सोपनीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘तन्द्री (नाम) सोपनीतम्’ (brought/placed with ‘tandrī’ as qualifier)

• बलिम्: offering
• बलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thereafter/from that’

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual-technical procedure in Vedanga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Brahmā
• Kubera (Yakṣādhipati)
• Bhaga

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined, technically correct ritual action—mantra-utterance (with proper length), bodily observance (jaṭā), and offering (bali)—directed to a specific deity-function (Yakṣādhipati), showing how precision in sacred procedure is treated as dharma.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent service through correctly performed worship: invoking divine powers by name/mantra and offering bali with attention and purity, treating the deity as a worthy recipient of respectful devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) is implied by “sadīrghakam” (prolonged recitation), and Kalpa (ritual procedure) by the ordered presentation of bali to Yakṣādhipati.