Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

कृष्णं दिगंबरं क्रूरं क्षेत्रपालं च पश्चिमे । कपालं डमरुं पाशं लिंगं शंबिभ्रतीं करैः ॥ ११४ ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣṇaṃ digaṃbaraṃ krūraṃ kṣetrapālaṃ ca paścime | kapālaṃ ḍamaruṃ pāśaṃ liṃgaṃ śaṃbibhratīṃ karaiḥ || 114 ||

Translation

西方には、クシェートラパーラを安置し観想すべきである。黒き姿にしてディガンバラ（虚空を衣とし）、猛々しく、手に髑髏・ダマル太鼓・羂索（パーシャ）・リンガを執る。

Word by Word

• कृष्णम्: black/dark
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षेत्रपालम्)

• दिगम्बरम्: sky-clad (naked)
• दिगम्बरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दिशः अम्बरं यस्य/दिगम्बरः)

• क्रूरम्: fierce
• क्रूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• क्षेत्रपालम्: guardian of the sacred place (Kṣetrapāla)
• क्षेत्रपालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य पालः)

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

• पश्चिमे: in the west
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; दिक्-निर्देशे अधिकरणवत् (locative of direction)

• कपालम्: a skull
• कपालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• डमरुम्: a small drum (ḍamaru)
• डमरुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डमरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाशम्: a noose
• पाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शं-बिभ्रतीम्: bearing auspiciously / bearing (these)
• शं-बिभ्रतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + √भृ (धातु) (वर्तमान-कृदन्त शतृ, स्त्री)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (देवी/शक्ति-रूपेण)

• करैः: with (her/his) hands
• करैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical/ritual placement)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Ksetrapala
• Shiva (implied by liṅga)

FAQs

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

It teaches protective sacralization of a ritual space by invoking Kṣetrapāla as a fierce guardian in a specific direction (the west), ensuring the sanctity and safety of the rite and its boundary.

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

Bhakti here appears as disciplined reverence expressed through correct ritual attention—honoring the deity’s form, attributes, and placement so worship proceeds without obstacles and with focused devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science: directional assignment (dik-vinyāsa) and deity-iconography used in ceremonial procedure—technical knowledge aligned with kalpa-style ritual organization.