Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

कंदर्प्परूपिणी चैव तथा मकरकेतना । मनोभवस्वरूपा च भारती वर्णरूपिणी ॥ ७८ ॥

Transliteration

kaṃdarpparūpiṇī caiva tathā makaraketanā | manobhavasvarūpā ca bhāratī varṇarūpiṇī || 78 ||

Translation

Siya ay tunay na may anyo ni Kāma (Kandarpā) at siya rin ang may sagisag na makara; siya ang mismong katawan ng pagnanasang “isinilang sa isip”; at si Bhāratī (Sarasvatī) ang anyo ng mga pantig at titik (varṇa).

Word by Word

• कन्दर्परूपिणी: she who has the form of Kāma (Cupid)
• कन्दर्परूपिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्दर्प + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Genitive Tatpurusha) — ‘कन्दर्पस्य रूपिणी’

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तथा: likewise/thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/समुच्चय-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• मकरकेतना: (she who is) Makara-bannered (epithet of Kāma)
• मकरकेतना: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर + केतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘मकरः केतनं यस्याः/यस्य’ (standard epithet ‘having the makara as banner’)

• मनोभवस्वरूपा: having the nature/form of Manobhava (Kāma)
• मनोभवस्वरूपा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोभव + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘मनोभवस्य स्वरूपा’

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

• भारती: Bhāratī (goddess of speech/Sarasvatī)
• भारती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वर्णरूपिणी: embodied as letters/sounds
• वर्णरूपिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘वर्णस्य रूपिणी’

Speaker

Narada (as part of a Vedanga/vidya-oriented description, in dialogue context with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• Kandarpa (Kāma)
• Manobhava
• Makara

FAQs

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

It identifies Bhāratī (Sarasvatī) with the very structure of speech—letters and sounds—teaching that mantra, learning, and sacred recitation are divine in origin and spiritually potent when handled with purity and precision.

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

By portraying divine power as present in sound and language, it supports bhakti through nāma-japa and stotra: devotion becomes effective when the Lord and the Goddess of speech are honored through correct utterance and reverent recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar): the verse’s emphasis on “varṇa-rūpiṇī” points to correct articulation of phonemes and disciplined language as foundations for mantra accuracy and Vedic study.