Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

शवस्य हृदये स्थित्वा निर्वासाः प्रेतभूमिगः । अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेणाभ्यक्तेन स्वीयरेतसा ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

śavasya hṛdaye sthitvā nirvāsāḥ pretabhūmigaḥ | arkapuṣpasahasreṇābhyaktena svīyaretasā || 22 ||

Translation

ശവത്തിന്റെ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട്, നിർവസ്ത്രനായി, ശ്മശാനഭൂമിയിൽ, സ്വന്തം വീര്യത്തിൽ ലേപിച്ച ആയിരം അർക്കപുഷ്പങ്ങളാൽ (അതിനെ) അഭ്യംഗം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• शवस्य: of a corpse
• शवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• स्थित्वा: having sat/placed oneself
• स्थित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) ‘having stood/sat’; पूर्वक्रिया

• निर्वासाः: without clothes
• निर्वासाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (naked/without clothing)

• प्रेतभूमिगः: being in the charnel/ghost-ground
• प्रेतभूमिगः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेतभूमि + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: प्रेतभूमौ गः = going/being in the ghost-ground); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (पाठे ‘गः’ एकवचन; ‘निर्वासाः’ बहुवचन इति पाठभेद/सामानाधिकरण्य-व्यत्यय सम्भवः)

• अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेण: with a thousand arka-flowers
• अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्कपुष्प + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अर्कपुष्पाणां सहस्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental); एकवचन

• अभ्यक्तेन: anointed/smeared
• अभ्यक्तेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + अञ्ज् (धातु) → अभ्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘अभ्यक्त’ = anointed/smeared; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेण’)

• स्वीयरेतसा: with one’s own semen
• स्वीयरेतसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वीय + रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (स्वीयं रेतः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructing/relating a technical-ritual procedure to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It depicts an extreme, transgressive cremation-ground procedure used in certain esoteric ritual systems, emphasizing fearlessness, severing social identity, and the deliberate use of liminal spaces as a means to force intense concentration and ritual potency.

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

This verse is not framed as a bhakti practice; it belongs to a technical/ritual description. In Narada Purana’s broader teaching, such rites are distinct from pure Vishnu-bhakti, which typically emphasizes sattvic conduct, mantra-japa, and devotion rather than cremation-ground transgressions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects prayoga-style procedural detail (ritual application): specified location (preta-bhūmi), posture/placement (on the corpse’s heart), and precise materials (arka flowers, counted as a thousand), characteristic of technical ritual manuals rather than narrative theology.