Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 188

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

पञ्च वक्त्रां दशभुजां प्रतिवक्त्रं त्रिलोचनाम् । भास्वन्मुकुटविन्यासचन्द्रलेखाविराजिताम् ॥ १८८ ॥

Transliteration

pañca vaktrāṃ daśabhujāṃ prativaktraṃ trilocanām | bhāsvanmukuṭavinyāsacandralekhāvirājitām || 188 ||

Translation

Elle est à cinq visages et dix bras; sur chaque visage brillent trois yeux. Elle resplendit, parée d’un éclatant agencement de couronnes, magnifiée par l’ornement du croissant de lune.

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक (numeral, indeclinable)

• वक्त्राम्: five-faced
• वक्त्राम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवीम्) — ‘having faces’ (elliptic: पञ्चवक्त्रां)

• दश-भुजाम्: ten-armed
• दश-भुजाम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-भुज (प्रातिपदिक; दश + भुज)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (दश भुजाः यस्याः)

• प्रति-वक्त्रम्: for each face
• प्रति-वक्त्रम्: क्रियाविशेषण/परिमाण (Adverbial: distributive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति + वक्त्र)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (per face)

• त्रि-लोचनाम्: three-eyed
• त्रि-लोचनाम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-लोचना (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + लोचना)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्याः)

• भास्वत्-मुकुट-विन्यास-चन्द्र-लेखा-विराजिताम्: adorned with a crescent-mark set upon a shining crown
• भास्वत्-मुकुट-विन्यास-चन्द्र-लेखा-विराजिताम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वत् + मुकुट + विन्यास + चन्द्र + लेखा + विराजित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त: वि-राज् + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास; ‘विराजित’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Narada (narrating/teaching within the dialogue tradition with the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devi (five-faced, ten-armed, three-eyed form)

FAQs

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

It functions as a dhyāna-style description: a precise visual form (five faces, ten arms, three eyes, crescent ornament) meant to steady the mind and invoke the deity’s presence during worship or mantra practice.

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

By giving a concrete, auspicious form to contemplate, it supports bhakti through focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and reverent visualization, turning devotion into a disciplined meditative act.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual-technical knowledge used in pūjā and dhyāna—iconographic specification and meditative framing that commonly accompany mantra-vidhi and worship procedures.