Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 119

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

कुर्वाणामरुणांभोधौ चिंतयेन्मन्त्रनायकम् । एषा तु सप्तमीप्रोक्ता दूतिं चाप्यष्टमीं श्रृणु ॥ ११९ ॥

Transliteration

kurvāṇāmaruṇāṃbhodhau ciṃtayenmantranāyakam | eṣā tu saptamīproktā dūtiṃ cāpyaṣṭamīṃ śrṛṇu || 119 ||

Translation

Ketika melaksanakan amalan ini, hendaklah seseorang bermeditasi kepada Penguasa Mantra (Mantra-nāyaka) di dalam samudera kemerahan cahaya. Ini telah dinyatakan sebagai tatacara ketujuh; kini dengarlah pula tentang “dūtī”, tatacara kelapan.

Word by Word

• kurvāṇām: (her) who is doing/making
• kurvāṇām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (कृ, धातु) → kurvāṇa (कृदन्त)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (agreeing with implied devī/dūtī); शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय (present participle) ‘doing/making’

• aruṇa-ambhodhau: in the red ocean
• aruṇa-ambhodhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ambhodhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समासः कर्मधारयः (‘reddish ocean’)

• ciṃtayet: should contemplate
• ciṃtayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्त्, धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपद

• mantra-nāyakam: the lord/leader of the mantra
• mantra-nāyakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + nāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (‘leader of mantras’)

• eṣā: this (one)
• eṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; सर्वनाम

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; अवधान/विरोध/अन्वयबोधक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• saptamī-proktā: declared as the seventh
• saptamī-proktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptamī (प्रातिपदिक) + √vac (वच्, धातु) → prokta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘said/declared’; समासः तत्पुरुषः (‘declared as the seventh’)

• dūtīm: the messenger (goddess)
• dūtīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūtī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; समुच्चय/अपि-कारक (particle: ‘also/even’)

• aṣṭamīm: the eighth (one)
• aṣṭamīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śṛṇu: hear (listen)
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु, धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्/imperative), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mantra-nayaka

FAQs

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

It marks a structured step in mantra-practice: the sādhaka is instructed to stabilize the mind through visualization—meditating on the mantra’s presiding power (mantra-nāyaka) in a field of luminous red radiance—before proceeding to the next technical component.

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

Even within technical mantra-vidhi, devotion is expressed as focused contemplation of the mantra’s Lord; the rite is not merely mechanical, but becomes upāsanā through remembrance and inward surrender to the mantra’s presiding divinity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects procedural ritual science—stepwise mantra-vidhi with prescribed dhyāna (visualization) and named components like “dūtī,” aligning with applied Vedāṅga-style technical instruction (prayoga/vidhi) rather than narrative theology.