Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

षोडशार्णस्ततो मूर्तौ क्लृप्तायां मूलमंत्रतः । आवाह्य प्रजपेद्देवीमुपचारैः पृथग्विधैः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

ṣoḍaśārṇastato mūrtau klṛptāyāṃ mūlamaṃtrataḥ | āvāhya prajapeddevīmupacāraiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ || 23 ||

Translation

次に、十六音節の真言によって、根本真言に従い正しく整えられた像に女神を招き入れ、ジャパ（念誦）を唱え、種々のウパチャーラ（供養の奉仕）をそれぞれ捧げて礼拝すべきである。

Word by Word

• ṣoḍaśārṇaḥ: (one) of sixteen syllables
• ṣoḍaśārṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); dvigu-samāsa: ṣoḍaśa-arṇa (having sixteen syllables/letters)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय); adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'thereafter/from that'

• mūrtau: in the image/form
• mūrtau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• klṛptāyām: (when it is) prepared
• klṛptāyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: klṛptā (कृदन्त; √klṛp धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī Ekavacana; past passive participle (क्त/PPP) used adjectivally = 'having been arranged/prepared'

• mūla-mantrataḥ: by/from the root mantra
• mūla-mantrataḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mūla + mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable); tasil-anta (तसिलन्त) ablatival adverb 'from/by means of'; tatpuruṣa: mūla-mantra (root-mantra)

• āvāhya: having invoked
• āvāhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vah (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त; absolutive)
• Form: Kṛdanta (Absolutive/ल्यप्, gerund); 'having invoked'

• prajapet: should mutter/recite
• prajapet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√jap (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष) Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• devīm: the Goddess
• devīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana

• upacāraiḥ: with offerings/services
• upacāraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• pṛthak-vidhaiḥ: of various kinds
• pṛthak-vidhaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; karmadhāraya: pṛthak-vidha = 'of separate kinds/various' (agreeing with upacāraiḥ)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure in the technical/vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devi

FAQs

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

It teaches that divine presence is approached through disciplined ritual order—preparing the form, invoking the deity through the mūla-mantra, and sustaining devotion through japa and reverent upacāras.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as attentive service: invocation (āvāhana), mantra-japa, and offering varied upacāras, turning worship into a structured, affectionate relationship with the Devī.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual science—precise mantra-application (mūla-mantra, ṣoḍaśārṇa), correct sequencing of worship acts (vidhi), and the categorized practice of upacāras used in pūjā.