Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

प्रीतिं तक्षिणकोणस्थां तप्तकांचनसन्निभाम् । अङ्कुशं प्रणतं दोभ्यां धारयन्तीं समर्चयेत् ॥ ७१ ॥

Transliteration

prītiṃ takṣiṇakoṇasthāṃ taptakāṃcanasannibhām | aṅkuśaṃ praṇataṃ dobhyāṃ dhārayantīṃ samarcayet || 71 ||

Translation

Qu’on adore comme il se doit Prīti, placée dans l’angle sud-est, resplendissante tel l’or chauffé à blanc. Elle tient l’aiguillon d’éléphant (aṅkuśa) et le porte des deux mains avec révérence.

Word by Word

• प्रीतिम्: Prīti (goddess/personified affection)
• प्रीतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• दक्षिण-कोण-स्थाम्: situated in the right corner
• दक्षिण-कोण-स्थाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + कोण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दक्षिणे कोणे स्थिता)

• तप्त-काञ्चन-सन्निभाम्: resembling heated gold
• तप्त-काञ्चन-सन्निभाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तप्तकाञ्चनवत् सन्निभा)

• अङ्कुशम्: a goad
• अङ्कुशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रणतम्: bent/curved
• प्रणतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) → प्रणत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (अङ्कुशं) ‘bent/curved’

• दोभ्याम्: with two arms/hands
• दोभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), द्विवचन; समासः—द्विगु (द्वौ बाहू)

• धारयन्तीम्: holding/bearing
• धारयन्तीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धारयन्ती (वर्तमान-कृदन्त; शतृ/शानच्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship duly
• समर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching a technical/ritual arrangement within Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Prīti

FAQs

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

It links devotion to ritual precision: Prīti (delight/affection) is invoked through correct directional placement and iconographic contemplation, training the worshipper’s mind toward reverent, controlled devotion.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as attentive upāsanā—visualizing the deity’s form (golden radiance, aṅkuśa) and honoring her with humility (praṇata), showing that love (prīti) is cultivated through disciplined worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical knowledge: dik-nirdeśa (directional specification) and dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (iconographic markers) used in structured worship layouts, aligning practice with precise liturgical method.