Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 154

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

मातंगीसिद्धविद्यैषा प्रोक्ता ते द्विजसत्तम । अवतारांतरं भूयो वर्णयामि निशामय ॥ १५४ ॥

Transliteration

mātaṃgīsiddhavidyaiṣā proktā te dvijasattama | avatārāṃtaraṃ bhūyo varṇayāmi niśāmaya || 154 ||

Translation

โอผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ทวิชะ วิทยาสำเร็จแห่งมาตังคีนี้ได้กล่าวแก่ท่านแล้ว บัดนี้จงสดับเถิด เราจะพรรณนาอวตารอื่นอีกครั้งหนึ่ง.

Word by Word

• मातंगी-सिद्ध-विद्या: the Mātaṅgī accomplished-knowledge (mantra-vidyā)
• मातंगी-सिद्ध-विद्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातंगी (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मातंग्याः सिद्धा विद्या’ / ‘मातंगीसम्बन्धिनी सिद्धविद्या’

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• प्रोक्ता: has been taught/declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been spoken/taught’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचन (ते = to you); सम्प्रदान

• द्विज-सत्तम: O best of Brahmins
• द्विज-सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; ‘श्रेष्ठो द्विजः’ (best of the twice-born)

• अवतार-अन्तरम्: another incarnation/another episode of incarnation
• अवतार-अन्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘अवतारस्य अन्तरम्’ (another incarnation/another account)

• भूयः: again/further
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निबद्ध)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): पुनः/अधिकम् (again/further)

• वर्णयामि: I describe
• वर्णयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु, णिच् causative of √वर्ण/वृ)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि: ‘I describe’

• निशामय: listen
• निशामय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम्/शम (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; ‘listen/attend’

Speaker

Narada (continuing instruction to a dvija interlocutor within the Vedanga/technical discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mātaṅgī
• Avatāra

FAQs

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

It marks a transition: after completing a technical/esoteric instruction (Mātaṅgī-siddha-vidyā), the text redirects the listener toward avatāra-kathā—reminding that higher understanding is grounded in sacred narration and divine descent.

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

By moving from siddhi-oriented knowledge to the hearing of avatāras (“niśāmaya”), it emphasizes śravaṇa (devotional listening) as a primary means of inner refinement, placing divine stories above mere attainment-techniques.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse signals a structured pedagogical method—first completing a vidyā (technical discipline), then proceeding to authoritative narration—reflecting the Purāṇic approach to organizing and transmitting specialized knowledge.