Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

मातरो भैरवांकस्था मदविभ्रमविह्वलाः । अष्टपत्रेषु संपूज्या यथावत्कुसुमादिभिः ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

mātaro bhairavāṃkasthā madavibhramavihvalāḥ | aṣṭapatreṣu saṃpūjyā yathāvatkusumādibhiḥ || 75 ||

Translation

Les Déesses-Mères, assises sur les genoux de Bhairava et saisies par l’ivresse de l’extase divine, doivent être honorées comme il se doit sur les huit pétales (du diagramme de lotus), avec des fleurs et les autres offrandes prescrites.

Word by Word

• मातरः: the Mothers (Mātṛkās)
• मातरः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भैरव-अङ्क-स्थाः: seated on Bhairava’s lap
• भैरव-अङ्क-स्थाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव + अङ्क + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: भैरवस्य अङ्के स्थिता इति (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मद-विभ्रम-विह्वलाः: bewildered by intoxication and amorous agitation
• मद-विभ्रम-विह्वलाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद + विभ्रम + विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: मदविभ्रमेण विह्वलाः इति (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• अष्ट-पत्रेषु: in the eight petals
• अष्ट-पत्रेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास: अष्ट पत्राणि

• संपूज्याः: to be duly worshipped
• संपूज्याः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु) + य (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive): ‘to be worshipped’

• यथावत्: properly
• यथावत्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (properly, duly)

• कुसुम-आदिभिः: with flowers and the like
• कुसुम-आदिभिः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: कुसुमानि आदीनि येषु तैः (समाहार/गणवाचक)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on ritual procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bhairava
• Mātṛkās (Mothers)

FAQs

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

It frames the Mātṛkās as empowered divine forces to be approached through a structured mandala (eight-petalled lotus), emphasizing disciplined worship (yathāvat) rather than mere sentiment.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, rule-based pūjā—offering flowers and prescribed upacāras to divine forms (Bhairava and the Mothers) in their designated positions within the ritual diagram.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual praxis: correct placement in a lotus-mandala, and proper upacāra sequence (flowers and allied offerings), reflecting applied kalpa-style procedure within the Purana’s technical/ritual instruction mode.