Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

पीठस्य शक्तयो मायात्मने हृत्पीठमंत्रकः । शिवरूपशवश्थां च शिवाभिर्दिक्षु वेष्टिताम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

pīṭhasya śaktayo māyātmane hṛtpīṭhamaṃtrakaḥ | śivarūpaśavaśthāṃ ca śivābhirdikṣu veṣṭitām || 11 ||

Translation

Les Śakti du pīṭha sont pour celui dont l’essence est Māyā; le hṛt-pīṭha, le siège du cœur, possède son propre mantra. Et l’on doit contempler la forme de cadavre ayant l’apparence de Śiva, enveloppée de toutes parts par les Śivā des directions.

Word by Word

• पीठस्य: of the seat/pīṭha
• पीठस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive/6th), एकवचन

• शक्तयः: powers/śaktis
• शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• माया-आत्मने: to Māyātmā (one whose essence is māyā)
• माया-आत्मने: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: मायायाः आत्मा (मायात्मा) तस्मै; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (dative/4th), एकवचन

• हृत्-पीठ-मन्त्रकः: the heart-pīṭha mantra (mantraka)
• हृत्-पीठ-मन्त्रकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (समाहार/निर्देश): हृदि स्थितं पीठं तस्य मन्त्रकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिव-रूप-शव-स्थाम्: (having) a corpse-form as Śiva’s form / in Śiva-form corpse-state
• शिव-रूप-शव-स्थाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + शव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: शिवरूपं शवम्; तस्य स्था (स्थितिः/अवस्था) यस्याम्; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (शक्तयः इति विशेषण/वर्णन)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• शिवाभिः: by/with the śivās (goddesses)
• शिवाभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative/7th), बहुवचन

• वेष्टिताम्: encircled
• वेष्टिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव (wrapped/encircled)

Speaker

Sage Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti (Śivāḥ)

FAQs

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

It presents an inner-ritual (dhyāna) model: the pīṭha is not only a geographic seat but an inner “heart-seat,” empowered by Śakti and stabilized by mantra, with protective directional encirclement by Śivā-energies.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent contemplation and mantra-based worship: the devotee internalizes the deity as the heart-seat and meditates on Śiva surrounded by Śakti-forms, turning devotion into focused ritual awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical ritual knowledge—mantra application and directional protection (dik-bandhana/āvaraṇa-bhāvanā), a procedure-like detail consistent with Narada Purana’s Book 1.3 focus on specialized sacred sciences.