Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 154
The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor
Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma
ऊनपंचाशदास्या च चतुःषष्टि मुखा तथा । एकाशीतिमुखा चैव शताननसमन्विता ॥ १५४ ॥
ūnapaṃcāśadāsyā ca catuḥṣaṣṭi mukhā tathā | ekāśītimukhā caiva śatānanasamanvitā || 154 ||
ചിലിടങ്ങളിൽ അവൾ നാല്പത്തൊമ്പതുമുഖി, മറ്റിടങ്ങളിൽ അറുപത്തിനാലുമുഖി; ചിലിടങ്ങളിൽ എൺപത്തൊന്നുമുഖി, മറ്റിടങ്ങളിൽ നൂറുമുഖങ്ങളാൽ സമന്വിതയായി വർണ്ണിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.
Narada (narration within a technical enumeration; traditional dialogue frame with Sanatkumara context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It emphasizes graded multiplicity—different “numbers of faces” symbolically indicate varying capacities, powers, or functional aspects within a technical or cosmological classification, pointing to the vastness and structured diversity of sacred knowledge.
Indirectly, it supports Bhakti by portraying the Lord’s (or sacred reality’s) many modes and manifestations; devotion can be oriented to any appropriate form while recognizing an underlying sacred order.
The verse reads like a cataloging line used in technical exposition—useful for memorization and classification (a common feature in Vedanga-style teaching, especially in śikṣā/chandas-oriented enumerations).