Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

इच्छादिशक्तिभिर्युक्तं भैरव्याः पीठमर्चयेत् । इच्छा ज्ञाना क्रिया पश्चात्कामिनी कामदायिनी ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

icchādiśaktibhiryuktaṃ bhairavyāḥ pīṭhamarcayet | icchā jñānā kriyā paścātkāminī kāmadāyinī || 64 ||

Translation

Qu’on vénère le pīṭha sacré de Bhairavī, pourvu des puissances de śakti commençant par Icchā (Volonté). Ensuite viennent les śaktis nommées Icchā, Jñānā (Connaissance) et Kriyā (Action) ; puis Kāminī, celle qui accorde les buts désirés.

Word by Word

• इच्छा-आदि-शक्तिभिः: with the powers beginning with Icchā
• इच्छा-आदि-शक्तिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा + आदि + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः तत्पुरुष: ‘इच्छा-आद्या शक्तयः’ (powers beginning with will)

• युक्तम्: endowed (with)
• युक्तम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘endowed/connected’

• भैरव्याः: of Bhairavī
• भैरव्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पीठम्: seat/sacred pedestal (pīṭha)
• पीठम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: विधेय (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इच्छा: Icchā (Will)
• इच्छा: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्ञाना: Jñānā (Knowledge)
• ज्ञाना: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्रिया: Kriyā (Action)
• क्रिया: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: ‘after/then’)

• कामिनी: Kāminī
• कामिनी: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• काम-दायिनी: wish-granting
• काम-दायिनी: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to ‘कामिनी’; समासः तत्पुरुष: ‘कामं ददाति’ (giver of desires)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual-vidhi section; traditional dialogue frame within Narada Purana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bhairavi
• Pitha
• Iccha Shakti
• Jnana Shakti
• Kriya Shakti
• Kamini

FAQs

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

It frames pīṭha-worship as awakening and honoring the inner śaktis—Will, Knowledge, and Action—so that spiritual practice becomes empowered and capable of granting rightful aims (kāma) under dharma.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of archana (reverent worship): devotion is not only emotion but structured reverence toward the Divine Mother (Bhairavī) and her śakti-manifestations, aligning the devotee’s will, understanding, and conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Practical ritual-vidhi is emphasized: identifying śakti-tattvas invoked in worship and the ordered contemplation of Icchā–Jñānā–Kriyā, a technical framework often used in mantra-śāstra and pūjā procedure.