Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 167

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

श्मशानभस्मना कृत्वा शवं तस्योपरि न्यसेत् । विरोधिनामसंरुद्धं कृष्णे पक्षे समुच्चरेत् ॥ १६७ ॥

Transliteration

śmaśānabhasmanā kṛtvā śavaṃ tasyopari nyaset | virodhināmasaṃruddhaṃ kṛṣṇe pakṣe samuccaret || 167 ||

Translation

Con ceniza del crematorio se lo modela y se coloca un cadáver encima; luego, en la quincena oscura (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa), se recita, rodeándolo con el nombre del adversario, para que el oponente quede impedido.

Word by Word

• श्मशानभस्मना: with cremation-ground ash
• श्मशानभस्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान-भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्मशानस्य भस्म)

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• शवम्: a corpse
• शवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तस्य: of it/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• उपरि: upon/above
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/अव्यय-प्रयोगः ‘on/above’

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु; ‘to place’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विरोधि: of opponents/hostile ones
• विरोधि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन (सम्बन्ध) — ‘of opponents’; (समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (कर्म) — समासे मध्यपदत्वेन

• असंरुद्धम्: unobstructed/unchecked
• असंरुद्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सम्-√रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘not blocked/unchecked’

• कृष्णे: in the dark (half)
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in the dark (fortnight)’

• पक्षे: fortnight
• पक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• समुच्चरेत्: should utter/recite
• समुच्चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It illustrates a technical (prayoga) use of mantra and ritual timing (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa) aimed at restraining an adversary, reflecting the text’s cataloging of applied ritual sciences rather than devotional worship.

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

This verse is not a bhakti teaching; it belongs to a procedural, ritual-technical context focused on mantra application and ritual materials, contrasting with Narada Purana’s separate emphasis on Vishnu-bhakti elsewhere.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual prayoga principles—nyāsa/placement, the use of specific substances (śmaśāna-bhasma), and calendrical timing (kṛṣṇa-pakṣa), aligning with applied ritual knowledge and auxiliary discipline around correct performance.