Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 108

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

स्वस्वनामाभिरभितः शक्तिभिः परिवारिताम् । एवं ध्यात्वार्चयेद्वह्निवासिनीं वह्निविग्रहम् ॥ १०८ ॥

Transliteration

svasvanāmābhirabhitaḥ śaktibhiḥ parivāritām | evaṃ dhyātvārcayedvahnivāsinīṃ vahnivigraham || 108 ||

Translation

Entourée de toutes parts par ses śakti portant chacune son propre nom, ainsi, après l’avoir contemplée en méditation, qu’on adore la Déesse demeurant dans le Feu, comme l’incarnation même du Feu.

Word by Word

• sva: own
• sva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (स्व) प्रातिपदिक
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगे विशेषणम्; here as first member in repetition ‘sva-sva’ = ‘each one’s own’

• sva: respective
• sva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (स्व) प्रातिपदिक
• Form: पुनरुक्त-विशेषण (reduplicated adjective)

• nāmābhiḥ: by/with (their) names
• nāmābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) — means/association
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (नामन्) प्रातिपदिक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• abhitaḥ: around
• abhitaḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhitaḥ (अभितः) अव्यय
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/preposition) — ‘around, on all sides’

• śaktibhiḥ: by/with the powers (Śaktis)
• śaktibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / Sahakārī (सहकारी) — accompanying powers
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (शक्ति) प्रातिपदिक
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• parivāritām: surrounded
• parivāritām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√vṛ (परि+वृ) धातु; भूतकृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘parivārita’ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — vahnivāsinīm इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (एवम्) अव्यय
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — manner ‘thus’

• dhyātvā: having meditated
• dhyātvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (ध्यै) धातु
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकर्म (having meditated)

• arcayet: should worship
• arcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया) — main predicate
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (अर्च्) धातु
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• vahnivāsinīm: the one dwelling in fire
• vahnivāsinīm: Karma (कर्म) — object of worship
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (वह्नि) + vāsinī (वासिनी) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (वह्नौ वासिनी)

• vahnivigraham: having a form of fire
• vahnivigraham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vahni (वह्नि) + vigraha (विग्रह) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — vahnivāsinīm इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वह्नेः विग्रहः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Vahnivāsinī
• Agni (Vahni)
• Śakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship becomes effective when preceded by precise visualization (dhyāna): the deity is contemplated as a living presence—here, Vahnivāsinī—encircled by her named śaktis, showing that divine power operates through specific, identifiable functions.

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

Bhakti is expressed as focused reverence through dhyāna and arcana: the devotee lovingly contemplates the deity’s form (fire itself) and her attendant powers, then offers worship with a mind stabilized by that vision.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical procedure: name-based invocation of śaktis and dhyāna before arcana—an applied discipline aligned with Vedic ritual method (yajña/Agni-centered practice) and mantra-informed worship sequencing.