Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 110

Yakṣiṇī-Mantra-Sādhana Nirūpaṇa

Lakṣmī-avatāra-vidyāḥ: Bālā, Annapūrṇā, Bagalā

Devanagari script

आदाय वामहस्तेन प्रेतभूस्थितकर्परम् । अंगारेण चितास्थेन तत्र यंत्रं समालिखेत् ॥ ११० ॥

Transliteration

ādāya vāmahastena pretabhūsthitakarparam | aṃgāreṇa citāsthena tatra yaṃtraṃ samālikhet || 110 ||

Translation

De la main gauche, prenant un crâne gisant à même le sol, lié à un cadavre, qu’on y trace avec soin le yantra à l’aide d’un charbon pris au bûcher funéraire.

Word by Word

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• वाम-हस्तेन: with the left hand
• वाम-हस्तेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (वामः हस्तः)

• प्रेत-भू-स्थित-कर्परम्: a skull/bowl lying in a charnel/ghost-ground
• प्रेत-भू-स्थित-कर्परम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु) + कर्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (प्रेतभूमौ स्थितं कर्परम् = skull/bowl situated in a cremation/ghost-ground)

• अङ्गारेण: with a coal/ember
• अङ्गारेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• चितास्थेन: (ember) from the funeral pyre
• चितास्थेन: विशेषण (Adjectival to instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिता (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (चितायां स्थः = from/on the funeral pyre); विशेषणम् (अङ्गारेण)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there’)

• यन्त्रम्: yantra/diagram
• यन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समालिखेत्: should draw/inscribe
• समालिखेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

The verse presents a highly technical rite where liminal substances (skull, cremation coal) are used to empower a yantra, indicating a specialized ritual domain focused on potency (śakti) and precise procedure rather than general devotional worship.

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

This specific verse is procedural and does not directly teach bhakti; it belongs to technical instructions (yantra/ritual method). In the Narada Purana’s broader framework, such rites are subordinate to dharmic discipline and are distinct from the primary bhakti-oriented worship of Vishnu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual praxis—accurate materials, hand usage, and diagram inscription (yantra-lekhana). This aligns most closely with kalpa-style procedural knowledge (rules of rites), even when expressed in a technical, esoteric register.