Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 103
The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras
सर्वं दुष्टमृगवशं करिसर्वपदं ततः । सर्वसत्त्ववशंकरिसर्वलोकं ततः परम् ॥ १०३ ॥
sarvaṃ duṣṭamṛgavaśaṃ karisarvapadaṃ tataḥ | sarvasattvavaśaṃkarisarvalokaṃ tataḥ param || 103 ||
Segala sesuatu jatuh di bawah kuasa binatang buas yang jahat; kemudian ada ‘kari-sarvapada’, gajah yang menginjak setiap jalan. Lebih tinggi darinya ialah gajah yang menundukkan semua makhluk, dan melampauinya lagi ialah yang menaklukkan semua loka (dunia).
Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
The verse uses a graded metaphor of “being brought under control” to point toward progressively greater powers—moving from ordinary domination to a higher, world-subduing supremacy, implying that spiritual mastery surpasses mere physical force.
While not explicitly naming Bhakti, the progression suggests that the highest refuge is not brute domination but a superior, all-pervading sovereignty—consistent with Narada Purana’s broader arc where ultimate control and protection are attributed to the Supreme (often realized through Vishnu-bhakti).
The verse primarily demonstrates didactic upamā (illustrative metaphor) used in technical instruction; it is more rhetorical than ritualistic, showing how concise images are employed to convey hierarchy and gradation in teachings.