Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 7

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

भानुमण्डलसंस्थानां प्रविकीर्णालकं शिरः । छिन्नं स्वकं स्फारमुखं स्वरक्तं प्रपिबद्गलत् ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

bhānumaṇḍalasaṃsthānāṃ pravikīrṇālakaṃ śiraḥ | chinnaṃ svakaṃ sphāramukhaṃ svaraktaṃ prapibadgalat || 7 ||

Translation

ศีรษะที่มีรูปร่างดั่งดวงอาทิตย์ มีผมกระเซิง ถูกตัดขาดจากร่างของตน อ้าปากกว้าง ดื่มเลือดของตนเองที่ไหลรินลงมา

Word by Word

• भानु-मण्डल-संस्थानाम्: of the form/shape of the sun-disc
• भानु-मण्डल-संस्थानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—भानुमण्डलस्य संस्थानम् इति (genitive determinative)

• प्र-विकीर्ण-अलकम्: with hair scattered about
• प्र-विकीर्ण-अलकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to शिरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि√कीर् (धातु) + अलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयार्थे कृदन्तविशेषणम्; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘विकीर्ण’ + ‘अलक’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• छिन्नम्: severed
• छिन्नम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to शिरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘छिन्न’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (शिरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• स्वकम्: one’s own
• स्वकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to शिरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (शिरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• स्फार-मुखम्: with a wide mouth
• स्फार-मुखम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to शिरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फार (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—स्फारं मुखं यस्य तत् (descriptive)

• स्व-रक्तम्: blood-red / with its own blood
• स्व-रक्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to शिरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—स्वं रक्तं (own blood-red / blood of itself)

• प्रपिबत्: drinks
• प्रपिबत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु—प्र√पा ‘to drink’

• गलत्: (blood) dripping
• गलत्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गल् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle) ‘गलत्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (यत् प्रपिबति तद्—गलत् [रक्तम्] इत्यर्थे)

Speaker

Narada (narration within a technical/illustrative passage; dialogue frame traditionally with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Bhanu (Sun)

FAQs

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

The verse uses a stark, fearful image—self-consuming violence—to illustrate the destructive momentum of adharma and the karmic consequences that can overwhelm a being when restraint and right conduct collapse.

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

By portraying the horror of self-harm driven by uncontrolled forces, it implicitly points to bhakti and dharma as stabilizing refuges—turning the mind toward Vishnu-centered discipline rather than toward impulses that “consume one’s own life-blood.”

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

In the Third Pada’s technical tone, such imagery aligns with Jyotiṣa-style omen language: vivid forms (sun-disc likeness, dishevelled hair, blood-drinking) function as diagnostic symbols to warn of inauspicious conditions and the need for corrective dharmic action.