Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Yakṣiṇī-Mantra-Sādhana Nirūpaṇa

Lakṣmī-avatāra-vidyāḥ: Bālā, Annapūrṇā, Bagalā

Devanagari script

रती रतिप्रिया नंदा मनोन्मन्यपि चोदिताः । पीठशक्तीरिमा इष्ट्वा पीठं तन्मनुना दिशेत् ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

ratī ratipriyā naṃdā manonmanyapi coditāḥ | pīṭhaśaktīrimā iṣṭvā pīṭhaṃ tanmanunā diśet || 21 ||

Translation

Setelah memuja Pīṭha-Śakti ini—Ratī, Ratipriyā, Nandā dan Manonmanī—sebagaimana diperintahkan, hendaklah kemudian menetapkan (menginstal) Pīṭha dengan manu, yakni mantra mereka masing-masing.

Word by Word

• रती: (goddess) Ratī
• रती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रति-प्रिया: (goddess) Ratipriyā
• रति-प्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रतेः प्रिया)

• नन्दा: (goddess) Nandā
• नन्दा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनः-उन्मनी: (goddess) Manonmanī
• मनः-उन्मनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्मनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मनसः उन्मनी)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (also)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• उदिताः: mentioned (as such)
• उदिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + इ (धातु) → उदित (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘declared/mentioned’

• पीठ-शक्तीः: the pīṭha-powers
• पीठ-शक्तीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun used adjectivally)

• इष्ट्वा: having worshipped
• इष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु) → इष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-क्त्वा (gerund), ‘having worshipped/sacrificed’

• पीठम्: the seat/pīṭha
• पीठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्-मुनुना: with that ‘munu’ mantra
• तत्-मुनुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + मुनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य मुनुना = with that mantra-formula ‘munu’)

• दिशेत्: should assign/indicate
• दिशेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ratī
• Ratipriyā
• Nandā
• Manonmanī
• Pīṭha-Śakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that sacred installation is not merely symbolic: the pīṭha (ritual seat/base) becomes effective only after honoring its presiding Śaktis and then establishing it through the correct mantra, aligning devotion with precise procedure.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent service—worshipping the attendant divine powers (Śaktis) before the main act of installation—showing that devotion in the Narada Purana often includes disciplined, mantra-guided worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-application and ritual sequencing—how specific names/deities are invoked and then ‘assigned’ (diśet) in an installation—reflecting technical liturgical knowledge akin to śikṣā/mantra-prayoga and procedural ritual science.