Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

हस्ताब्जैर्धृतपुष्पेषुप्रणामामृतसप्रभाः । अष्टयोनिष्वष्टशक्तीः पूजयेत्सुभगादिकाः ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

hastābjairdhṛtapuṣpeṣupraṇāmāmṛtasaprabhāḥ | aṣṭayoniṣvaṣṭaśaktīḥ pūjayetsubhagādikāḥ || 74 ||

Translation

With lotus-like hands holding flower-arrows, radiant as the nectar of reverent salutations, one should worship the eight Śaktis—beginning with Subhagā—within the eight yoni-forms, the sources of manifestation.

Word by Word

• हस्त-अब्जैः: with lotus-like hands
• हस्त-अब्जैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त + अब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: हस्तयोः अब्जानि इति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• धृत-पुष्प-इषु-प्रणाम-अमृत-स-प्रभाः: whose bowing (salutation) has nectar-like radiance, holding flower-arrows
• धृत-पुष्प-इषु-प्रणाम-अमृत-स-प्रभाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत + पुष्प + इषु + प्रणाम + अमृत + स + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: धृताः पुष्पेषवः (पुष्प-इषवः) येषां तेषां प्रणामः अमृतसदृशप्रभः यस्याः/येषां ताः; (समूहवर्णन)

• अष्ट-योनिषु: in the eight yonis (sources/places)
• अष्ट-योनिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास: अष्ट योनयः

• अष्ट-शक्तीः: the eight powers (Śaktis)
• अष्ट-शक्तीः: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास: अष्ट शक्तयः

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुभग-आदिकाः: (those) beginning with Subhagā, etc.
• सुभग-आदिकाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभग + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: सुभगा आदयः यासां ताः (समाहार/गणवाचक)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure, in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Subhagā
• Śakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that worship becomes effective when performed with reverent humility (praṇāma) and precise ritual placement—honoring divine powers (Śaktis) as present in structured cosmic forms (the eight yonis).

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

Bhakti is expressed through embodied reverence: offering flowers with “lotus-hands” and cultivating a nectar-like mood of surrender, while honoring the divine energies as worthy of systematic worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical vidhi: prescribed upacāra (flower offering), ordered invocation (Subhagā-ādikā series), and structured worship-loci (aṣṭa-yoni), aligning practice with a codified liturgical framework.