Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 159

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

सेनामुखी साममयी बगला दोषवार्जिता । माया प्रज्ञा परा दोग्ध्री मानिनी पोषिणी क्रिया ॥ १५९ ॥

Transliteration

senāmukhī sāmamayī bagalā doṣavārjitā | māyā prajñā parā dogdhrī māninī poṣiṇī kriyā || 159 ||

Translation

അവൾ സേനകളുടെ അഗ്രമുഖി, സാമവേദഗാനമയി, ബഗലാ, ദോഷവರ್ಜിത. അവൾ മായ, പ്രജ്ഞ, പരാ; വരദാനരസം ദോഹിക്കുന്ന ദോഗ്ധ്രീ, മാന്യ, പോഷിണി, സ്വയം പവിത്ര ക്രിയ തന്നെ.

Word by Word

• सेनामुखी: she who is at the head/front of the army
• सेनामुखी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेना + मुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सेनाया मुखम् इव/सेनामुखसम्बद्धा (determinative)

• साममयी: consisting of Sāman (chants)
• साममयी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साम + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; साममयः (made of/consisting of sāman)

• बगला: Bagalā (a goddess-name)
• बगला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बगला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

• दोषवार्जिता: free from faults
• दोषवार्जिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष + वर्जित (कृदन्त, √वर्ज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘वर्जित’ = excluded; दोषैः वर्जिता (free from faults)

• माया: Māyā (illusion/power)
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

• प्रज्ञा: wisdom, insight
• प्रज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

• परा: supreme, highest
• परा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• दोग्ध्री: milker; nourisher/provider
• दोग्ध्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोग्धृ (प्रातिपदिक; agent-noun from √दुह् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• मानिनी: honored; proud
• मानिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; मानयुक्ता/अभिमानवती (possessing honor/pride)

• पोषिणी: nourishing
• पोषिणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पोषिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √पुष् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; पोषणकर्त्री (nourishing)

• क्रिया: action; ritual act
• क्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructing/reciting within a technical-liturgical enumeration in Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bagalā (Devi)

FAQs

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

It presents a concentrated set of divine epithets describing Bagalā as faultless, supreme wisdom, and the very power that makes mantra and ritual action spiritually effective.

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

By offering sacred names that frame the Goddess as protector, nourisher, and supreme intelligence, it supports bhakti through nāma-smaraṇa (remembrance/recitation of names) and reverent contemplation of her qualities.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The epithet “sāmamayī” points to Sāman-based chanting and liturgical sound-forms, aligning with Vedāṅga-oriented practice such as correct mantra recitation and ritual kriyā (procedural efficacy).