Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

रक्तं विघ्नं तथाग्नेये श्याममार्यं च राक्षसे । दुर्गां श्यामां वायुकोणे सेनान्यं पीतमैश्वरे ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

raktaṃ vighnaṃ tathāgneye śyāmamāryaṃ ca rākṣase | durgāṃ śyāmāṃ vāyukoṇe senānyaṃ pītamaiśvare || 50 ||

Translation

ณ มุมอาคเนย์ (อัคนิ) พึงตั้งรูปสีแดงนาม ‘วิฆนะ’; ณ มุมทักษิณตะวันตก (รากษส) พึงตั้ง ‘ศยาม’ และ ‘อารยะ’; ณ มุมพายัพ (วายุ) พึงตั้ง ‘ทุรคา’ และ ‘ศยามา’; ณ มุมอีศาน (อีศานะ) พึงตั้งรูปสีเหลืองนาม ‘เสนานี’

Word by Word

• रक्तम्: the red (one)
• रक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विशेषण/नामवत्)

• विघ्नम्: Vighna (obstacle-remover deity)
• विघ्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• आग्नेये: in the southeast
• आग्नेये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (directional locative: आग्नेय-कोण)

• श्यामम्: the dark (one)
• श्यामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विशेषण/नामवत्)

• आर्यम्: Ārya (a deity/personage)
• आर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• राक्षसे: in the rākṣasa quarter (southwest)
• राक्षसे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (directional locative: नैऋत्य/राक्षस-कोण)

• दुर्गाम्: Durgā
• दुर्गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्यामाम्: dark (feminine)
• श्यामाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (दुर्गाम् इति विशेषणम्)

• वायुकोणे: in the northwest (Vāyu corner)
• वायुकोणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु-कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वायोः कोणः)

• सेनान्यम्: the commander (Senānī/Skanda)
• सेनान्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पीतम्: the yellow (one)
• पीतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विशेषण/नामवत्)

• ऐश्वरे: in the Īśāna quarter (northeast)
• ऐश्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (directional locative: ईशान/ऐश्वर-कोण)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a technical/ritual-vedic context; dialogue tradition with Sanatkumara line implied for this section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vighna
• Durgā
• Śyāma
• Śyāmā
• Ārya
• Senānī
• Agni
• Vāyu
• Īśāna

FAQs

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

It assigns specific divine forms and colours to the four corners, showing how sacred space is harmonized through directional guardianship so that rites proceed without disturbance and with protection.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined worship: devotion is not only emotion but also correct upāsanā—placing and invoking deities in their proper directions to honor cosmic order while performing worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science—mandala/space-arrangement rules tied to directions (dik), colours, and deity-invocation, a technical feature aligned with Vedāṅga-style procedural precision used in rites and protective installations.