Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 130

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

शंखपत्रां तु मातंगीं चित्रकोद्भासिमस्तकाम् । अयुतं प्रजपेन्मंत्रं तद्दशांशं मधूकजैः ॥ १३० ॥

Transliteration

śaṃkhapatrāṃ tu mātaṃgīṃ citrakodbhāsimastakām | ayutaṃ prajapenmaṃtraṃ taddaśāṃśaṃ madhūkajaiḥ || 130 ||

Translation

Qu’on médite Mātaṅgī, tenant la śaṅkha-patra (feuille en forme de conque) et dont la tête resplendit d’un éclat varié ; puis qu’on récite le mantra dix mille fois et qu’on accomplisse l’oblation pour un dixième de ce nombre, avec des offrandes issues du madhūka.

Word by Word

• शङ्खपत्राम्: having conch-like leaves/petals
• शङ्खपत्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख-पत्रा (प्रातिपदिक; components: शङ्ख + पत्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of मातङ्गी/देवता)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• मातङ्गीम्: Mātaṅgī (the goddess)
• मातङ्गीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चित्रकोद्भासिमस्तकाम्: whose head shines with a tilaka/mark
• चित्रकोद्भासिमस्तकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्रक-उद्भासि-मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक; components: चित्रक + उद्भासि + मस्तक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘चित्रकेन उद्भासि मस्तकं यस्याः’ (whose head shines with tilaka/mark)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand (times)
• अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ten thousand)

• प्रजपेत्: should recite (japa)
• प्रजपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (referring to the japa count)

• दशांशम्: a tenth part
• दशांशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश-अंश (प्रातिपदिक; components: दश + अंश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मधूकजैः: with madhūka-products (e.g., flowers)
• मधूकजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधूकज (प्रातिपदिक; components: मधूक + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘मधूकात् जातैः’ (born of madhūka: madhūka-flowers/offerings)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure within the Vedanga/kalpa-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mātaṅgī

FAQs

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

It codifies a complete sādhana-unit: dhyāna (visualization of the deity’s form), japa (fixed repetition count), and homa (ritual sealing of practice) in a precise proportion, presenting discipline and measure as the means to mantra-siddhi.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as focused upāsanā—loving, steady attention to the deity’s form (Mātaṅgī-dhyāna) and faithful mantra-repetition—showing devotion as structured practice rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is foregrounded: a prescribed japa-saṅkhyā (10,000) and the standard daśāṃśa rule for homa (one-tenth of the japa count), along with specified dravya (madhūka-derived offerings).