Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 164

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

पंचगव्येन शांतिः स्याज्ज्वरस्य पयसापि वा । मंत्राद्या क्षरमालिख्य शत्रूनाम ततः परम् ॥ १६४ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcagavyena śāṃtiḥ syājjvarasya payasāpi vā | maṃtrādyā kṣaramālikhya śatrūnāma tataḥ param || 164 ||

Translation

ไข้ย่อมสงบได้ด้วยปัญจคัวยะ หรือแม้ด้วยน้ำนม จากนั้นเขียนอักษรอมตะไว้ต้นมนตร์ แล้วจึงนำไปใช้โดยอ้างถึงเหล่าศัตรูต่อไป

Word by Word

• पञ्च-गव्येन: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• पञ्च-गव्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्चानां गव्यानां समाहारः)

• शान्तिः: pacification
• शान्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be / would occur
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ज्वरस्य: of fever
• ज्वरस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• पयसā: with milk
• पयसā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (or)

• मन्त्र-आद्याः: (letters) beginning with the mantra
• मन्त्र-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मन्त्रः आदिः येषां ते = beginning with the mantra)

• क्षरम्: a syllable/letter
• क्षरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘syllable/letter’

• आलिख्य: having written
• आलिख्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having written/inscribed’

• शत्रूनाम्: of enemies
• शत्रूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb: then/thereafter)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: further/next)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within the technical/ritual section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It frames disease-removal (jvara-śānti) and protection as śānti-karmas: physical remedies (pañcagavya, milk) are paired with mantra-vidhi, showing the Narada Purana’s technical approach to harmonizing body, speech (mantra), and intention.

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

While not a direct bhakti-verse, it reflects a devotional worldview where sacred substances and mantra—rooted in reverence for dharma and the sanctity of the cow—are used with disciplined procedure, implying faith-guided practice rather than mere material treatment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-vidhi and akṣara-prayoga are emphasized: placing/writing the ‘imperishable syllable’ (commonly Oṃ) at the mantra’s beginning, a technical rule aligned with śikṣā (mantric phonetics) and ritual procedure used in śānti and protective rites.