Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

प्रतिष्ठाप्य शिवा फट् च स्वाहांतोऽत्यष्टिवर्णवान् । भैरवोऽस्य मुनिः सम्राट् छन्दो मन्त्रस्य देवता ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

pratiṣṭhāpya śivā phaṭ ca svāhāṃto'tyaṣṭivarṇavān | bhairavo'sya muniḥ samrāṭ chando mantrasya devatā || 3 ||

Translation

ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਸ਼ਠਾ ਕਰਕੇ ‘ਸ਼ਿਵਾ’ ਪਦ ਜੋੜੋ, ਫਿਰ ‘ਫਟ੍’; ਅੰਤ ‘ਸ੍ਵਾਹਾ’ ਨਾਲ—ਇਹ ਅੱਸੀ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਅੱਖਰਾਂ ਵਾਲਾ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਦੇ ਰਿਸ਼ੀ ਭੈਰਵ, ਛੰਦ ਸਮ੍ਰਾਟ ਅਤੇ ਦੇਵਤਾ ਵੀ ਵਿਧੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਘੋਸ਼ਿਤ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• pratiṣṭhāpya: having established
• pratiṣṭhāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√sthā (धातु) + ṇic (causative) + lyap (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), 'having स्थापित/established'

• śivā: Śivā
• śivā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• phaṭ: (the mantra-syllable) phaṭ
• phaṭ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: phaṭ (अव्यय/मन्त्रबीज)
• Form: मन्त्र-निपात (mantric particle), अव्यय

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

• svāhā-antaḥ: ending with 'svāhā'
• svāhā-antaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svāhā (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'svāhāyāḥ antaḥ' / 'svāhā-śabda-antaḥ' (ending with svāhā)

• ati-aṣṭi-varṇavān: having (exactly) eight syllables/letters
• ati-aṣṭi-varṇavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + aṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'ati' (intensifier) + 'aṣṭi-varṇa' (having eight syllables/letters)

• bhairavaḥ: Bhairava
• bhairavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhairava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• asya: of this (mantra)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• muniḥ: sage (ṛṣi)
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• samrāṭ: Samrāṭ (name/title)
• samrāṭ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samrāj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• chandaḥ: meter (chandas)
• chandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chandas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mantrasya: of the mantra
• mantrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• devatā: presiding deity
• devatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical Vedanga/mantra-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhairava

FAQs

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

It codifies mantra-identification rules—ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that mantra practice is not random but must be aligned with its seer, metre, and presiding deity for correct ritual efficacy.

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

Indirectly: it teaches disciplined, scripture-aligned worship. In the Narada Purana’s framework, devotion becomes steady when supported by correct vidhi (procedure) and proper mantra-lakṣaṇa (mantric definition).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (metre) and mantra-lakṣaṇa: the verse explicitly names the chandas (Samrāṭ), specifies mantra endings like “svāhā,” and notes syllable/varṇa count—core technical markers used in ritual recitation.