Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

Yakṣiṇī-Mantra-Sādhana Nirūpaṇa

Lakṣmī-avatāra-vidyāḥ: Bālā, Annapūrṇā, Bagalā

Devanagari script

कुमार्या पेषयेत्तानि मंत्रेणाथाभिमंत्र्य च । विदद्ध्यात्तिलकं तेन दर्शनाद्वशयेज्जनान् ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

kumāryā peṣayettāni maṃtreṇāthābhimaṃtrya ca | vidaddhyāttilakaṃ tena darśanādvaśayejjanān || 40 ||

Translation

Qu’une jeune fille non mariée broie ces ingrédients; puis, après les avoir consacrés par le mantra, qu’on en trace un tilaka sur le front. Par la seule vue, il ferait plier les hommes à son influence.

Word by Word

• कुमार्या: by/with a maiden (virgin girl)
• कुमार्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• पेषयेत्: should have (them) ground
• पेषयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्; causative sense in usage: "should cause to grind"

• तानि: those (ingredients)
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): sequence/then

• अभिमन्त्र्य: having enchanted (them)
• अभिमन्त्र्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund, -त्वा/ल्यप्): "having consecrated/enchanted"; from √मन्त्र् with अभि-

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): and

• विदध्यात्: should apply/prepare
• विदध्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• तिलकम्: a tilaka mark
• तिलकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: by that/with that
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• दर्शनात्: from (its) sight; by seeing
• दर्शनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• वशयेत्: should subdue/attract
• वशयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्; causative sense in usage: "should bring under control"

• जनान्: people
• जनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It presents a mantra-prayoga principle: substances become ritually efficacious through purity of preparation (kumārī) and empowerment (abhimantrana), culminating in a tilaka used as a visible, consecrated mark.

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

Indirectly: tilaka is a public sign of religious observance and consecration; while this verse emphasizes influence through ritual power, in a broader bhakti setting tilaka functions as an outward emblem of dedication and sacred identity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-prayoga and ritual procedure—specifically abhimantrana (consecrating by mantra-recitation) and the disciplined preparation of materials, reflecting applied ritual science within the Vedanga-oriented section.