Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Bhuvaneśī (Nidrā-Śakti) Mantra-vidhi, Nyāsa–Āvaraṇa Worship, Padma-homa Prayogas, and the Opening of Śrī-Mahālakṣmī Upāsanā

Devanagari script

पश्चिमे मदनं बाणपाशांकुशशरासनाम् । धारयंतं जपारक्तं पूजयेद्रक्तभूषणम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

paścime madanaṃ bāṇapāśāṃkuśaśarāsanām | dhārayaṃtaṃ japāraktaṃ pūjayedraktabhūṣaṇam || 30 ||

Translation

À l’ouest, qu’on adore Madana (Kāma), tenant la flèche, le lacet, l’aiguillon et l’arc; rouge comme la fleur d’hibiscus, paré d’ornements rouges.

Word by Word

• paścime: in the west (western direction)
• paścime: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; used adverbially as location

• madanam: Madana (Kāma)
• madanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• bāṇa-pāśa-aṃkuśa-śarāsanām: (having) arrow, noose, goad, and bow
• bāṇa-pāśa-aṃkuśa-śarāsanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa + pāśa + aṃkuśa + śarāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; samāhāra-dvandva (collective) indicating the set of implements

• dhārayantam: holding
• dhārayantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘madanam’
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; from √dhṛ ‘to hold’

• japā-raktam: red like hibiscus
• japā-raktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘madanam’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: japā + rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; karmadhāraya ‘japā-like red’

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• rakta-bhūṣaṇam: adorned with red ornaments
• rakta-bhūṣaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘madanam’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘with red ornaments/adorned with red’

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a ritual/technical description)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Madana (Kama)

FAQs

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

It encodes a ritual-visualization rule: placing Madana in the western direction with specific weapons and red color symbolism, guiding correct iconography and focused worship (upāsanā) within a technical procedure.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through precise worship—remembering the deity’s form, attributes, direction, and offerings/colors—so the mind becomes one-pointed (ekāgra) through disciplined devotional visualization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual science: directional assignment (dik-vinyāsa) and iconographic specification used in pūjā/nyāsa-style procedures—technical rules aligned with śāstric ritual method.