Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

निशि दद्याद्बलिं तस्यै सिद्धये मदिरादिना । गोपनीयः प्रयोगोऽय प्रोच्यते सर्वसिद्धिदः ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

niśi dadyādbaliṃ tasyai siddhaye madirādinā | gopanīyaḥ prayogo'ya procyate sarvasiddhidaḥ || 31 ||

Translation

Pada waktu malam, hendaklah dipersembahkan bali kepada-Nya demi memperoleh siddhi, dengan wain dan persembahan seumpamanya. Amalan ini dinyatakan sebagai rahsia, dan dikatakan menganugerahkan segala jenis pencapaian.

Word by Word

• निशि: at night
• निशि: अधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular

• दद्यात्: should give/offer
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् — Optative, 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• बलिम्: offering (bali)
• बलिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Feminine, Dative, Singular

• सिद्धये: for accomplishment/success
• सिद्धये: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (प्रयोजन), एकवचन — Feminine, Dative, Singular

• मदिरा-आदिना: with liquor and the like
• मदिरा-आदिना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदिरा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मदिरा-आदि) — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; ‘liquor etc.’

• गोपनीयः: to be kept secret
• गोपनीयः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपनीय (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त—णीयत् from गुप्/गोप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णीयत्-प्रत्ययान्त (कर्तव्यता/योग्यता) — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘to be kept secret’

• प्रयोगः: the procedure/application
• प्रयोगः: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: विशेषण (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रोच्यते: is taught/declared
• प्रोच्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपदम् — Present, 3rd person, Singular; Passive

• सर्व-सिद्धि-दः: giver of all attainments
• सर्व-सिद्धि-दः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक; from दा ‘giver’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वासां सिद्धीनां दः/दाता) — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; determinative compound

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

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 frames a results-oriented “guhya-prayoga” (secret procedure) where a night-time bali-offering to a feminine deity/power is presented as a means to attain siddhi, emphasizing controlled, concealed ritual efficacy rather than public devotion.

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

This verse is not primarily bhakti-centered; it belongs to the technical/ritual stream of Book 1.3 and highlights a pragmatic rite for siddhi. Any devotional element is secondary, expressed through offering (bali) directed to the addressed deity (“to her”).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga (applied ritual procedure) and niyama (timing—performed at night), reflecting the text’s technical orientation in Book 1.3 where ritual method and correct application are treated as specialized knowledge.