Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

तां ध्यायन्स्मेरवदनां विदधत्सुरतं स्वयम् । जपेत्सहस्रमपि यः स शंकरसमो भवेत् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

tāṃ dhyāyansmeravadanāṃ vidadhatsurataṃ svayam | japetsahasramapi yaḥ sa śaṃkarasamo bhavet || 26 ||

Translation

ผู้ใดเพ่งภาวนาเทวีผู้มีพักตร์แย้มยิ้มอ่อน และน้อมใจว่าตนประกอบพิธีสหสัมพันธ์ แล้วสาธยาย(มนตร์)แม้เพียงพันครั้ง ผู้นั้นย่อมเสมอด้วยศังกร

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agent)

• स्मेरवदनाम्: with a smiling face
• स्मेरवदनाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मेर (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘स्मेरं वदनं यस्याः सा’ (as adjective to ताम्)

• विदधत्: performing/doing
• विदधत्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agent)

• सुरतम्: sexual union/pleasure
• सुरतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आत्मार्थक (reflexive/emphatic adverb)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• सहस्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: even/also)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; correlative pronoun

• शंकरसमः: equal to Śaṅkara
• शंकरसमः: प्रेडिकेट-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उपमान-सम्बन्ध): ‘शंकरस्य समः’

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a technical/ritual instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-japa combined with focused visualization (dhyāna) yields extraordinary spiritual attainment—so potent that the practitioner is said to gain Śiva-like status or merit.

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

By prescribing constant remembrance and contemplation of the chosen Divine form (“Her” with a smiling face), it frames devotion as sustained inner absorption supported by disciplined japa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical discipline is mantra-sādhana: correct repetition (japa), prescribed count (sahasra), and accompanying visualization (dhyāna)—a procedural, technical approach aligned with ritual science rather than narrative theology.