Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

उषस्युत्थाय शय्यायामुपविष्टो जपेच्छतम् । षण्मासाभ्यन्तरेमन्त्री कवित्वेन जयेत्कविम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

uṣasyutthāya śayyāyāmupaviṣṭo japecchatam | ṣaṇmāsābhyantaremantrī kavitvena jayetkavim || 38 ||

Translation

ഉഷസ്സിൽ എഴുന്നേറ്റ് കിടക്കയിൽ ഇരുന്ന് നൂറു പ്രാവശ്യം ജപിക്കണം. ആറുമാസത്തിനകം മന്ത്രസാധകൻ കാവ്യപ്രചോദനത്തിന്റെ ബലത്തിൽ കവിയെയും അതിക്രമിക്കും.

Word by Word

• उषसि: at dawn
• उषसि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्तः (gerund/absolutive)

• शय्यायाम्: on the bed
• शय्यायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• उपविष्टः: seated
• उपविष्टः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + विश् (धातु) → उपविष्ट (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि क्त (past participle: 'seated')

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• शतम्: a hundred (times)
• शतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; संख्यावाचक-नाम (numeral noun)

• षण्मास-अभ्यन्तरे: within six months
• षण्मास-अभ्यन्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative; time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (षण्मासानाम् अभ्यन्तरे = within six months)

• मन्त्री: the mantra-practitioner
• मन्त्री: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• कवित्वेन: by poetic skill
• कवित्वेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• जयेत्: should conquer
• जयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• कविम्: a poet
• कविम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Vedanga/technical instruction stream, traditionally framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined japa-sadhana: dawn practice with a fixed count (100 repetitions) sustained over time (six months) yields refined speech-power (vāk-śakti), expressed as heightened poetic inspiration and mastery.

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

Though framed as a technical result (kavitva), the method is devotional in spirit: steady remembrance through japa, performed at the sāttvika time of dawn, concentrates the mind and makes speech an instrument of sacred praise and inner absorption.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural sadhana-rules (niyama) for mantra-japa—proper time (uṣas/dawn), posture/setting (seated), count (śatam), and duration (ṣaṇmāsa)—which aligns with Vedanga-style technical discipline supporting refined speech and learning.