Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

पाशांकुशाभयाभीष्टधारिण्यो भूतसप्रभाः । अंगानि पूजयेत्पश्चाद्यथापूर्वं विधानवित् ॥ १३७ ॥

Transliteration

pāśāṃkuśābhayābhīṣṭadhāriṇyo bhūtasaprabhāḥ | aṃgāni pūjayetpaścādyathāpūrvaṃ vidhānavit || 137 ||

Translation

ततः विधानवित् यथापूर्वोक्तक्रमेण दिव्याङ्गानि पूजयेत्—पाशाङ्कुशधारिण्यः, अभयप्रदाः, अभीष्टवरदाः, भूतसप्रभाः।

Word by Word

• पाश-अङ्कुश-अभय-अभीष्ट-धारिण्यः: (female deities) bearing the noose, goad, fearlessness, and the desired boon
• पाश-अङ्कुश-अभय-अभीष्ट-धारिण्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश + अङ्कुश + अभय + अभीष्ट + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'bearing X')

• भूत-स-प्रभाः: having a radiance like (that of) beings/spirits
• भूत-स-प्रभाः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत + स + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (determinative)

• अङ्गानि: limbs/parts (of the worship arrangement)
• अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of sequence: 'afterwards')

• यथा-पूर्वम्: as previously (in the prescribed order)
• यथा-पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + पूर्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययीभूत)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्यय—रीतिवाचक (manner adverb: 'as before/according to the earlier order')

• विधान-वित्: the knower of the ritual procedure
• विधान-वित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; -वित्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('knower of the procedure')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes orderly aṅga-pūjā—worshipping the deity’s aspects/limbs in a prescribed sequence—so the sādhaka aligns intention, mantra, and ritual accuracy to invoke protection (abhaya) and fulfillment of worthy desires (abhīṣṭa).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined, reverent service: the devotee honors each divine aspect with attention and correctness, trusting the deity as protector and boon-giver while following the traditional procedure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural competence (vidhāna)—the applied, rule-based side of ritual performance: knowing sequence (yathāpūrvam), correct worship actions (pūjā), and the technical mapping of mantras/deity-aspects used in aṅga-pūjā/nyāsa.