Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 168

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

पुष्पेषुमंबुजं चैव नृकपालाभये तथा । दधानां दक्षिणैर्हस्तैर्ध्यायेद्देवीमनन्यधीः ॥ १६८ ॥

Transliteration

puṣpeṣumaṃbujaṃ caiva nṛkapālābhaye tathā | dadhānāṃ dakṣiṇairhastairdhyāyeddevīmananyadhīḥ || 168 ||

Translation

L’esprit inébranlable et unifié, qu’on médite la Déesse : de ses mains droites Elle tient des fleurs, un lotus, un crâne humain et le mudrā d’Abhaya, le geste qui confère l’intrépidité.

Word by Word

• पुष्पेषु: flower-arrows
• पुष्पेषु: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पेषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुष्प + इषु (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पुष्पाणाम् इषवः’)

• अम्बुजम्: lotus
• अम्बुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अम्बु + ज (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘जलजम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: emphasis)

• नृकपाल: human skull
• नृकपाल: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नृ + कपाल (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मनुष्यस्य कपालम्’)

• अभये: (the gestures of) fearlessness
• अभये: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; (अभय-मुद्रे/अभय-प्रदाने)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थ (adverb)

• दधानाम्: bearing/holding
• दधानाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-कृदन्तम्; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवीम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम् (‘धारयन्तीम्’)

• दक्षिणैः: right (ones)
• दक्षिणैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (हस्तैः)

• हस्तैः: with hands
• हस्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• अनन्यधीः: one with undistracted mind
• अनन्यधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्यधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—अनन्या धीः यस्य सः (‘एकाग्रबुद्धिः’)

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi

FAQs

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

It prescribes a precise dhyāna (visualization) of the Devī, teaching that focused contemplation on her attributes—beauty (flowers/lotus), transcendence of fear (abhaya), and mastery over mortality (skull)—stabilizes the mind and empowers ritual worship.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as ananya-dhī (one-pointed devotion): the devotee serves through steady remembrance and meditative attention to the Devī’s form, making inner contemplation itself a mode of worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects practical ritual science: dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (iconographic/meditative specification) used alongside mantra and pūjā-vidhi—an applied, technical approach aligned with Vedāṅga-style precision in liturgical performance.