Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

ताराख्या देवता बीजं द्वितीयञ्च चतुर्थकम् । शक्तिः षड्दीर्घयुक्तेन द्वितीयेनांगकल्पनम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

tārākhyā devatā bījaṃ dvitīyañca caturthakam | śaktiḥ ṣaḍdīrghayuktena dvitīyenāṃgakalpanam || 38 ||

Translation

അധിഷ്ഠാത്രീ ദേവത ‘താരാ’ ആകുന്നു. ബീജം രണ്ടാം സ്വരവും നാലാം വ്യഞ്ജനഘടകവും ചേർന്നുണ്ടാകുന്നു. ശക്തി രണ്ടാംതിനെ ആറാം ദീർഘസ്വരത്തോടു ചേർത്തു ലഭിക്കും; അങ്കന്യാസവും രണ്ടാംതിനെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി ക്രമീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ताराख्या: named Tārā
• ताराख्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताराख्या (प्रातिपदिक; तारा+आख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘तारा-नाम्नी’ (fem. nom. sg.)

• देवता: the deity
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बीजम्: seed (mantra-syllable)
• बीजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय/उपपद-निर्देश (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• द्वितीयम्: the second
• द्वितीयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘बीजम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• चतुर्थकम्: the fourth (one)
• चतुर्थकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘बीजम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शक्तिः: the śakti (power)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• षड्दीर्घयुक्तेन: with that which is joined with six long vowels
• षड्दीर्घयुक्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्+दीर्घ+युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; युक्त = √युज् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण-निर्देश (instr. sg.)—‘षड्दीर्घैः युक्तेन’

• द्वितीयेन: with the second (one)
• द्वितीयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण-निर्देश (instr. sg.)

• अङ्गकल्पनम्: arrangement/assignment of the limbs (aṅga)
• अङ्गकल्पनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग+कल्पन (प्रातिपदिक; कल्पन = √कॢप् (धातु) ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्रिया-नाम (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Tārā

FAQs

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

It formalizes how a mantra is made effective in practice—by identifying its devatā (presiding consciousness), bīja (seed), śakti (energizing power), and aṅgas (nyāsa-limbs)—so the recitation becomes a disciplined, consecrated act rather than mere sound.

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

By insisting on devatā-dhyāna and correct mantra-structure, it frames devotion as precise worship: bhakti is directed to the deity (here, Tārā) through a properly empowered mantra, aligning emotion with ritual competence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical phonetic-letter operations used in mantra-śāstra—deriving bīja/śakti through specified vowel–consonant combinations and applying aṅga-nyāsa—closely allied to Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa-style letter analysis.