Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

वंदे तामहमक्षय्यां क्षकाराक्षररूपिणीम् । देवीं कुलकलोल्लोलप्रोल्लसन्तीं शिवां पराम् ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

vaṃde tāmahamakṣayyāṃ kṣakārākṣararūpiṇīm | devīṃ kulakalollolaprollasantīṃ śivāṃ parām || 19 ||

Translation

‘ക്ഷ’ അക്ഷരരൂപിണിയായ ആ അക്ഷയ ദേവിയെ ഞാൻ വന്ദിക്കുന്നു; കുലസമൂഹങ്ങളുടെ കലോല-തരംഗങ്ങളിൽ ഉന്മേഷത്തോടെ പൊങ്ങി ദീപ്തിയായി തിളങ്ങുന്ന പരമ ശിവയായ ദേവി അവൾ।

Word by Word

• वन्दे: I salute
• वन्दे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; √वन्द् = to praise/salute

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अक्षय्याम्: imperishable
• अक्षय्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (imperishable/undecaying)

• क्षकाराक्षररूपिणीम्: having the form of the syllable ‘kṣa’
• क्षकाराक्षररूपिणीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षकार + अक्षर + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः: क्षकार-अक्षर (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष: ‘of the syllable kṣa’) + रूपिणी (having the form)

• देवीम्: the Goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कुलकलोल्लोलप्रोल्लसन्तीम्: shining forth with the waves/swell of the clan/lineage’s art (kalā)
• कुलकलोल्लोलप्रोल्लसन्तीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल + कल + उल्लोल + प्रोल्लसन्ती (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-भाव) ‘प्रोल्लसन्ती’ from प्र+उल्लस् (धातु √लस्) = shining forth; पूर्वपदसमासः: कुल-कल-उल्लोल (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समुच्चय) + प्रोल्लसन्ती

• शिवाम्: auspicious
• शिवाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (auspicious)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (supreme)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Śivā (as an epithet meaning 'Auspicious Goddess')
• Akṣara (sacred phoneme/letter)

FAQs

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

It venerates the Devī as akṣayyā (imperishable) and as akṣara-rūpiṇī (the very embodiment of a sacred phoneme), highlighting the Purāṇic-Vedāṅga idea that divine reality is accessed through sound, mantra, and precise recitation.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverential surrender (vande) to the supreme, auspicious Devī, treating even a single syllable (“kṣa”) as a doorway to the Divine—devotion grounded in mantra-awareness rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar) by emphasizing akṣara (letter/syllable) as meaningful and sacred—implying that correct pronunciation and understanding of phonemes is integral to mantra efficacy.