Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

कलावतीमुखाष्टानामीश्वरी ललिता मता । राधाचरणपूजायामुक्ता मालावतीमुखाः ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

kalāvatīmukhāṣṭānāmīśvarī lalitā matā | rādhācaraṇapūjāyāmuktā mālāvatīmukhāḥ || 9 ||

Translation

கலாவதி முதலான எட்டு ரூபங்களில் ஈஸ்வரியாக லலிதாவே கருதப்படுகிறாள்; ராதையின் திருவடிப் பூஜையில் மாலாவதி முதலான ரூபங்கள் என உரைக்கப்படுகின்றன.

Word by Word

• कलावतीमुखाष्टानाम्: of the group of eight headed by Kalāvatī
• कलावतीमुखाष्टानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलावती + मुख + अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कलावतीमुख-समूहः) + ‘अष्ट’ (eight)

• ईश्वरी: the mistress/leader
• ईश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• ललिता: Lalitā
• ललिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ईश्वरी इत्यस्य समानााधिकरणम्

• मता: is considered
• मता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is considered’

• राधाचरणपूजायाम्: in the worship of Rādhā’s feet
• राधाचरणपूजायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा + चरण + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (राधायाः चरणयोः पूजा)

• उक्ता: are said (to be)
• उक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (समूहवाचक-स्त्री); ‘are said/called’

• मालावतीमुखाः: those headed by Mālāvatī
• मालावतीमुखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मालावती + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मालावती मुखं यस्याः/येषां ते) ‘headed by Mālāvatī’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lalitā
• Rādhā
• Kalāvatīmukhā
• Mālāvatīmukhā

FAQs

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

It identifies Lalitā as the presiding Śakti among a named group of eight, and links that devotional hierarchy directly to the practice of worshiping Rādhā’s feet—emphasizing ordered, name-based devotion (nāma-smaraṇa and pūjā-krama).

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

Bhakti is presented as structured worship: honoring Rādhā through caraṇa-pūjā while invoking attendant divine forms in a prescribed sequence, with Lalitā acknowledged as the leading īśvarī within that set.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application of mantra/nāma lists and pūjā-krama (procedural ordering) is implied—an applied, technical dimension of worship aligned with śrauta/smārta-style precision in recitation and sequence.