Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 142

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

Devanagari script

त्रिपदा हरिजा पूर्वमुखी ब्रह्मास्त्रसंज्ञिका । चतुर्विशतितत्त्वाढ्या पातु प्राचीं दिशं मम ॥ १४२ ॥

Transliteration

tripadā harijā pūrvamukhī brahmāstrasaṃjñikā | caturviśatitattvāḍhyā pātu prācīṃ diśaṃ mama || 142 ||

Translation

Que la puissance divine aux trois pas, née de Hari, tournée vers l’est et nommée « Brahmāstra », riche des vingt-quatre tattvas, protège mon orientation orientale.

Word by Word

• tri-padā: three-stepped/threefold
• tri-padā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (having three padas/steps)

• hari-jā: born of Hari
• hari-jā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari + jā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (born of Hari)

• pūrva-mukhī: east-facing
• pūrva-mukhī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (facing east/front)

• brahma-astra-saṃjñikā: called ‘Brahmāstra’
• brahma-astra-saṃjñikā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + astra + saṃjñikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (named ‘Brahmāstra’)

• catur-viśati-tattva-āḍhyā: endowed with twenty-four principles
• catur-viśati-tattva-āḍhyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturviśati + tattva + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (rich in/possessing 24 tattvas)

• pātu: may (she) protect
• pātu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• prācīṃ: eastern
• prācīṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prācī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• diśaṃ: direction
• diśaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmastra

FAQs

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

It invokes a Viṣṇu-born protective śakti—identified as “Brahmāstra”—to guard the eastern quarter, showing how mantra is used for dik-bandhana (directional sealing) grounded in tattva-jñāna.

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

By attributing protection to “Harijā” (born of Hari), it frames safety and auspiciousness as arising from reliance on Viṣṇu’s power—devotion expressed through mantra-recitation and reverent invocation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science: directional protection (dik-pālana/dik-bandhana) and technical doctrine via the “twenty-four tattvas,” a structured metaphysical enumeration used to support precise mantra practice.