Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

पर्वताग्रे यजेद्देवीं पलाशकुसुमैर्निशि । सिद्धद्रव्यैश्च सप्ताहात्खेचरीमेलनं भवेत् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

parvatāgre yajeddevīṃ palāśakusumairniśi | siddhadravyaiśca saptāhātkhecarīmelanaṃ bhavet || 36 ||

Translation

Au sommet d’une montagne, la nuit, qu’on adore la Déesse avec des fleurs de palāśa ; et, par des substances rituelles consacrées (siddha), en sept nuits naît la rencontre/communion avec la Khecarī.

Word by Word

• पर्वत-अग्रे: on the mountain-top
• पर्वत-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पर्वतस्य अग्रे); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

• देवीम्: the देवी (goddess)
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• पलाश-कुसुमैः: with palāśa flowers
• पलाश-कुसुमैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलाश (प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पलाशस्य कुसुमानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• सिद्ध-द्रव्यैः: with efficacious/ritually perfected substances
• सिद्ध-द्रव्यैः: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सिद्धानि द्रव्याणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

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

• सप्ताहात्: after a week
• सप्ताहात्: Apadana (अपादान/from; after)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्ताह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• खेचरी-मेलनम्: the meeting/attainment of Khecarī
• खेचरी-मेलनम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खेचरी (प्रातिपदिक) + मेलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (खेचरीणां मेलनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• भवेत्: would occur/should happen
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada within Book 1.3 technical-ritual teachings)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Khecari

FAQs

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

It presents a technical sādhana-vidhi: focused night worship of Devī using specific offerings and consecrated substances, aiming at an experiential communion (melana) with a subtle divine power (Khecarī), illustrating the Purāṇa’s pragmatic ritual science.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined upāsanā—devotional worship with prescribed flower-offerings, place, and time—showing devotion as a methodical practice that can culminate in direct spiritual encounter.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual procedure and sādhana parameters (deśa: mountain-top, kāla: night, dravya: palāśa flowers and siddha substances, avadhi: seven nights), reflecting applied liturgical/technical knowledge akin to kalpa-style instruction.