Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

आधारशक्तिमारभ्य परतत्त्वांतपूजिते । पीठे जयाख्या विजया जिता चापि पराजिता ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

ādhāraśaktimārabhya paratattvāṃtapūjite | pīṭhe jayākhyā vijayā jitā cāpi parājitā || 10 ||

Translation

En commençant par Ādhāra-Śakti et en finissant par l'adoration du Principe Suprême, sur ce piédestal sacré (pīṭha) se trouvent les puissances nommées Jayā, Vijayā, Jitā, et aussi Parājitā.

Word by Word

• आधार-शक्तिम्: the Ādhāra-śakti (supporting power)
• आधार-शक्तिम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः—आधारस्य शक्तिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: अपादान/आरम्भबिन्दु (Starting point)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ√रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund) ‘beginning from’

• पर-तत्त्व-अन्त-पूजिते: in the pīṭha revered up to the supreme principle
• पर-तत्त्व-अन्त-पूजिते: विशेषण (Adjectival to पीठे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजित (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; ‘परतत्त्वान्त’ (up to the supreme principle) + ‘पूजित’ (honoured); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (पीठे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• पीठे: in the seat/pīṭha
• पीठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• जय-आख्या: (she) named Jayā
• जय-आख्या: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः—जय इति आख्या यस्याः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विजया: Vijayā
• विजया: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जिता: Jitā
• जिता: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also)

• पराजिता: Parājitā
• पराजिता: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराजित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ādhāra-Śakti
• Para-tattva
• Jayā
• Vijayā
• Jitā
• Parājitā

FAQs

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

It maps a ritual-spiritual ascent: worship progresses from the foundational sustaining power (Ādhāra-Śakti) up to the Supreme Reality (Para-tattva), indicating a graded approach to realizing the highest principle through ordered worship.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined, step-by-step reverence—honoring divine powers on the pīṭha and culminating in Para-tattva—showing devotion as both heartfelt and properly structured in worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technique and liturgical ordering—how a worship-seat (pīṭha) is conceptually arranged and how specific named powers are invoked in sequence—useful for procedural correctness in pujā practice.