Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

तथैव पश्चिमं भागं रक्षताद्वह्निवासिनी । महावज्रेश्वरी नित्या वायव्ये मां सदावतु ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

tathaiva paścimaṃ bhāgaṃ rakṣatādvahnivāsinī | mahāvajreśvarī nityā vāyavye māṃ sadāvatu || 26 ||

Translation

De même, que la Déesse qui demeure dans le feu, Vahni-vāsinī, protège le quartier de l’Ouest ; et que Mahāvajreśvarī, toujours présente, me garde sans cesse dans la direction Vāyavya (Nord-Ouest).

Word by Word

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण

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

• पश्चिमम्: western
• पश्चिमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण भागम्

• भागम्: part/region
• भागम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रक्षतात्: may (she) protect
• रक्षतात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक/आशीर्लिङ्गवत् प्रयोग (benedictive sense)

• वह्नि-वासिनी: Vahnivāsinī (she who dwells in fire)
• वह्नि-वासिनी: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि + वासिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवीनाम (name/title: dwelling in fire)

• महावज्रेश्वरी: Mahāvajreśvarī (Goddess)
• महावज्रेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + वज्र + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवीनाम (name)

• नित्या: eternal
• नित्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण महावज्रेश्वरी

• वायव्ये: in the north-west (quarter)
• वायव्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; दिशावाचक (in the north-west)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण

• अवतु: may protect
• अवतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (in a protective invocation taught within a technical/ritual framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vahni (Agni)
• Mahavajreshvari
• Vayu (implied by Vayavya direction)

FAQs

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

It assigns divine protection to specific directions, expressing the Purāṇic-ritual principle that space is sanctified by invoking deities to guard each quarter, creating a protected sacred field for practice.

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

Bhakti appears here as reliance (śaraṇāgati) on the Divine—calling upon the Goddess with faith to guard one’s surroundings, turning daily space into an arena of remembrance and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-directional application used in prayoga (practical procedure): dik (quarters) mapping and protective invocation (dikbandhana/nyāsa-like usage), a technical element aligned with Vedic ritual sciences.