Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

करालविकरालाख्यावतिकालस्तृतीयकः । महाकालश्चतुर्थः स्यादथ पद्मेष्टशक्तयः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

karālavikarālākhyāvatikālastṛtīyakaḥ | mahākālaścaturthaḥ syādatha padmeṣṭaśaktayaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

कालस्य तृतीयो विभागोऽतिकाल इति, कराल-विकरालाभ्यां प्रसिद्धः। चतुर्थो महाकाल इति कथ्यते। अनन्तरं पद्मेष्टस्य (ब्रह्मणः) शक्तयो निरूप्यन्ते॥

Word by Word

• कराल-विकराल-आख्या-अवती-कालः: (the one called) Karāla–Vikarāla–Ākhyāvatī–Kāla
• कराल-विकराल-आख्या-अवती-कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक) + विकराल (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अवती (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (नामनिर्देशः)

• तृतीयकः: the third
• तृतीयकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival)

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• चतुर्थः: the fourth
• चतुर्थः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्यात्: should be / may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle: 'then/now')

• पद्म-इष्ट-शक्तयः: the powers (śaktis) desired in/for the lotus
• पद्म-इष्ट-शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष्/इच्छ्) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समासः (पद्मे इष्टाः शक्तयः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/technical sciences section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atikala
• Karala
• Vikarala
• Mahakala
• Padmesta (Brahma)

FAQs

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

It frames Time (Kāla) as a graded, awe-inspiring cosmic principle—moving from Atikāla (Karāla/Vikarāla) to Mahākāla—preparing the reader to understand creation and governance as functions under higher powers, not merely human chronology.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting Mahākāla as ‘Great Time’, it encourages detachment from fleeting conditions and supports devotion by orienting the mind toward the timeless Lord beyond Kāla, a common purāṇic foundation for steady Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedāṅga-style technical enumeration of Kāla (time-divisions), relevant to Jyotiṣa and calendrical reasoning used to time rites, vratas, and observances in Narada Purana rituals.