Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 111

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

महोच्छुष्मां स्वनामादिवर्णबीजपुरः सराः । मातंग्यंताः षडंगानि ततः कुर्वीत साधकः ॥ १११ ॥

Transliteration

mahocchuṣmāṃ svanāmādivarṇabījapuraḥ sarāḥ | mātaṃgyaṃtāḥ ṣaḍaṃgāni tataḥ kurvīta sādhakaḥ || 111 ||

Translation

پھر سالک مہوچّھُشما کے منتر سے آغاز کرے، اپنے نام کے ابتدائی حرف سے بنے بیجوں کو مناسب حرکات (سور) کے ساتھ پہلے رکھے، اور ماتنگی تک شڈنگ (چھ اعضا) کا نیاس ادا کرے॥۱۱۱॥

Word by Word

• महा-उच्छुष्माम्: ‘Mahocchuṣmā’
• महा-उच्छुष्माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्छुष्मा (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती उच्छुष्मा)

• स्व-नाम-आदि-वर्ण-बीज-पुरःसराः: having as a prefix the seed-syllables beginning with one’s own name
• स्व-नाम-आदि-वर्ण-बीज-पुरःसराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (येषां स्वनामादिवर्णबीजानि पुरःसराणि ते)

• मातङ्गी-अन्ताः: ending with ‘Mātaṅgī’
• मातङ्गी-अन्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (मातङ्गीपर्यन्ताः)

• षड्-अङ्गानि: the six limbs (ṣaḍaṅgas)
• षड्-अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (षडङ्ग = six limbs/ancillaries)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक/अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु; करण)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधकः: the practitioner
• साधकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical Vedanga/Mantra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mahocchuṣmā
• Mātaṅgī

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined mantra-practice: the sādhaka sanctifies and stabilizes the mantra by applying its six auxiliaries (ṣaḍaṅga), framed by specific deity-mantras (Mahocchuṣmā to Mātaṅgī) and precise phonetic construction using bīja and vowels.

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

Although technical, it supports devotion by prescribing a reverent, rule-based way to approach deity-mantras—showing that bhakti can be expressed through careful ritual speech (mantra) and correct procedure, not only through emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa-style attention to letters and vowels are implied through “varṇa-bīja” and “sarāḥ,” underscoring that correct sound-formation and sequencing are essential in Narada Purana’s ritual instructions.