Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

अष्टपत्रावृतं बाह्ये वृतं षोडशभिर्दलैः । चतुरस्रीकृतं बाह्ये कांत्या दृष्टिमनोहरम् ॥ १३२ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭapatrāvṛtaṃ bāhye vṛtaṃ ṣoḍaśabhirdalaiḥ | caturasrīkṛtaṃ bāhye kāṃtyā dṛṣṭimanoharam || 132 ||

Translation

ബാഹ്യമായി ഇത് അഷ്ടപത്രങ്ങളാൽ ആവൃതമാണ്; പിന്നെ ഷോഡശദളങ്ങളാൽ കൂടി പരിവേഷ്ടിതമാണ്. പുറത്ത് ചതുരസ്രമായി രൂപപ്പെടുത്തിയതും, തന്റെ കാന്തിയാൽ ദൃഷ്ടിമനോഹരവുമാണ്।

Word by Word

• aṣṭa-patra-āvṛtam: covered with eight petals
• aṣṭa-patra-āvṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त, √vṛ (धातु))
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; समासः: aṣṭapatra (द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-भावः) + āvṛta (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• bāhye: on the outside
• bāhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative used adverbially (सप्तमी-अव्ययीभाव), ‘externally/outside’ (बाह्ये)

• vṛtam: enclosed/covered
• vṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛta (कृदन्त, √vṛ (धातु))
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त)

• ṣoḍaśabhiḥ: by sixteen
• ṣoḍaśabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral used adjectivally

• dalaiḥ: petals
• dalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• caturasrī-kṛtam: made square/four-cornered
• caturasrī-kṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturasra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त, √kṛ (धातु))
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त); समासः: caturasrī-kṛta = ‘made four-cornered’ (तत्पुरुष)

• bāhye: on the outside
• bāhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative used adverbially (सप्तमी-अव्ययीभाव)

• kāṃtyā: by/with radiance, splendor
• kāṃtyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dṛṣṭi-manoharam: delightful to behold
• dṛṣṭi-manoharam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + manohara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः: dṛṣṭi-manohara = ‘pleasing to the sight’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Narada (descriptive instruction within a technical/ritual-visualization passage, traditionally narrated in dialogue setting)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It describes a sacred lotus-based mandala/yantra form—layers of petals and a square outer enclosure—used to focus the mind, stabilize meditation, and establish an ordered ritual space for upāsanā.

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

By prescribing a beautiful, radiant, structured form for contemplation, it supports bhakti through visual concentration (dhyāna) and reverent ritual attention, helping the devotee keep the deity’s worship-field orderly and absorbing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied technical knowledge used in ritual practice—precise geometric arrangement (petal counts and square boundary) relevant to kalpa-style procedure and upāsanā visualization methods.