Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

देवीनां बीजरूपां च मूलप्रकृतिरीश्वरी । परिपूर्णतमा तेजः स्वरूपा त्रिगुणात्मिका ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

devīnāṃ bījarūpāṃ ca mūlaprakṛtirīśvarī | paripūrṇatamā tejaḥ svarūpā triguṇātmikā || 18 ||

Translation

Elle est la Déesse souveraine : la Mūla-Prakṛti, la Nature primordiale ; la forme-semence (bīja-rūpa) qui sous-tend toutes les déesses. Parfaitement accomplie, elle est l’essence même du tejas rayonnant et se compose des trois guṇas.

Word by Word

• देवीनाम्: of the goddesses
• देवीनाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• बीजरूपाम्: (her) seed-form
• बीजरूपाम्: कर्म/विशेष्यसम्बन्ध (Object/appositive descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular (as appositive/descriptor: ‘seed-form’)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मूलप्रकृतिः: the root Prakṛti
• मूलप्रकृतिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular ‘the root Prakṛti’

• ईश्वरी: the Goddess, sovereign
• ईश्वरी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; apposition to मूलप्रकृतिः

• परिपूर्णतमा: most complete
• परिपूर्णतमा: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग) + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (superlative)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Superlative adjective ‘most complete’

• तेजः: splendor, radiance
• तेजः: कर्ता/विशेषणार्थक नाम (Appositive/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular (as appositive/predicate noun)

• स्वरूपा: whose very nature is (that radiance)
• स्वरूपा: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (स्वं रूपं यस्याः) ‘having (that) as her own form’

• त्रिगुणात्मिका: consisting of the three guṇas
• त्रिगुणात्मिका: कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन्/आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (त्रयः गुणाः आत्मा यस्याः) ‘consisting of the three guṇas’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Sanatkumara dialogue setting; speaker attribution based on the dominant Narada–Sanatkumara discourse frame of this section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Mula-Prakriti
• Triguna

FAQs

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

It identifies the Goddess as the causal ground (bīja) and Mūla-Prakṛti—complete, radiant, and the very matrix of the three guṇas—showing that all manifested powers arise from one supreme source.

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

By presenting the Devi as the all-originating, all-pervading power, the verse supports focused devotion to the supreme source behind all divine forms—helping a devotee unify worship rather than seeing deities as disconnected.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It foregrounds tattva-vicāra (doctrinal analysis) used in Vedāṅga-informed study: understanding terms like bīja (causal seed), guṇa (qualities of nature), and prakṛti (primordial matrix) to interpret ritual theology and mantra-based worship.