Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

सहस्रभुजसंयुक्ता नानाशस्त्रा त्रिलोचना । या तु संसारवृक्षस्य बीजरूपा सनातनी ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

sahasrabhujasaṃyuktā nānāśastrā trilocanā | yā tu saṃsāravṛkṣasya bījarūpā sanātanī || 19 ||

Translation

ती सहस्रभुजांनी युक्त, नानाविध शस्त्रे धारण करणारी व त्रिनेत्री आहे; तीच सनातनी देवी संसार-वृक्षाची बीजरूपा आहे।

Word by Word

• सहस्र-भुज-संयुक्ता: joined with a thousand arms
• सहस्र-भुज-संयुक्ता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) उपसर्ग-सम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/क्त (past passive participle) ‘संयुक्त’ स्त्रीरूप ‘संयुक्ता’; समासः—सहस्रभुजैः संयुक्ता (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• नाना-शस्त्रा: having various weapons
• नाना-शस्त्रा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—नानाविधानि शस्त्राणि यस्याः सा (कर्मधारय-प्रयोगः; ‘नाना’ उपपद-विशेषण)

• त्रि-लोचना: three-eyed
• त्रि-लोचना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्याः सा

• या: she who
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• संसार-वृक्षस्य: of the tree of worldly existence
• संसार-वृक्षस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—संसाररूपः वृक्षः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थे तत्पुरुष), तस्य षष्ठी

• बीज-रूपा: in the form of a seed
• बीज-रूपा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—बीजरूपा (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: ‘बीजम् इव रूपम्’/‘बीजस्य रूपम्’)

• सनातनी: eternal
• सनातनी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It portrays a cosmic power as both fearsome (many weapons, three eyes) and causal—identified as the very “seed” of the saṃsāra-tree—pointing to the subtle root-cause that must be understood and transcended for liberation.

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

By highlighting the root (bīja) of worldly bondage, the verse implicitly directs the seeker to take refuge in the higher divine reality through devotion and discernment, so that the causal seed of bondage is rendered powerless.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses precise philosophical compounding (saṃsāra-vṛkṣa, bīja-rūpā) typical of Vyākaraṇa-informed Purāṇic Sanskrit, emphasizing how technical language encodes metaphysical causality (seed → tree) for teaching.