Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

The Explanation of Sandhyā and Related Daily Observances

Saṅdhyā-ādi Nitya-karma-Vidhi

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मयाद्य्रा मातरोऽष्टौ तु शक्तयो द्वाःस्थिताः स्वयम् । सेन्दुः स्वनामाघर्णाद्या ङेनमोन्ता इमे स्मृताः ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

brāhmayādyrā mātaro'ṣṭau tu śaktayo dvāḥsthitāḥ svayam | senduḥ svanāmāgharṇādyā ṅenamontā ime smṛtāḥ || 84 ||

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മീ മുതലായ എട്ട് മാതൃശക്തികൾ രണ്ടു ദ്വാരങ്ങളിലും സ്വയം നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. അവയെ സേന്ദു, സ്വനാമാ, അഘർണാ മുതലായവ—അവസാനം ങേനമോന്താ വരെ—എന്ന് സ്മരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ब्राह्म-आद्याः: beginning with Brāhmī
• ब्राह्म-आद्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण (adjectival) — ‘beginning with Brāhmī’

• मातरः: mothers (mother-goddesses)
• मातरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/contrast

• शक्तयः: powers (Śaktis)
• शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)

• द्वाः: two
• द्वाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• स्थिताः: are stationed/stand
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); ‘having been placed/standing’

• स्वयम्: by themselves
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स-इन्दुः: (one) with Indu
• स-इन्दुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); ‘with Indu’ (sa- as prefix ‘with’)

• स्व-नाम-आघर्ण-आद्याः: beginning with ‘sva-nāma-āgharṇa’
• स्व-नाम-आघर्ण-आद्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + नाम + आघर्ण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण — ‘beginning with (the syllables) sva-nāma-āgharṇa’

• ङे-नमो-अन्ताः: ending with ‘ṅe…namo’
• ङे-नमो-अन्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ङे + नमो + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषण — ‘ending in ṅe…namo’ (mantra-ending descriptor)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• स्मृताः: are said/are remembered
• स्मृताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); ‘are remembered/called’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmī
• Mātṛ-śaktis (Eight Mothers)

FAQs

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

It highlights the protective and organizing role of śakti in mantra- and ritual-science: the Eight Mothers are depicted as stationed at “doorways,” implying guardianship over thresholds—both ritual boundaries and inner spiritual transitions.

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

Indirectly: by acknowledging divine śaktis as functional guardians within sacred practice, it supports disciplined worship where devotion is expressed through correct, reverent procedure and remembrance of divine agencies.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical enumeration used in ritual/recitational systems—typical of Vedanga-style cataloging—suggesting structured knowledge for mantra application, protective rites, and the “placement” of powers in ceremonial space.