Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

करालविकरालाख्यावतिकालस्तृतीयकः । महाकालश्चतुर्थः स्यादथ पद्मेष्टशक्तयः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

karālavikarālākhyāvatikālastṛtīyakaḥ | mahākālaścaturthaḥ syādatha padmeṣṭaśaktayaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

زمانے کی تیسری تقسیم ‘اتیکال’ کہلاتی ہے، جو ‘کرال’ اور ‘وِکرال’ کے ناموں سے معروف ہے۔ چوتھی ‘مہاکال’ کہی گئی ہے۔ اس کے بعد پدمیشٹھ (برہما) کی قوتوں کا بیان آتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• कराल-विकराल-आख्या-अवती-कालः: (the one called) Karāla–Vikarāla–Ākhyāvatī–Kāla
• कराल-विकराल-आख्या-अवती-कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक) + विकराल (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अवती (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (नामनिर्देशः)

• तृतीयकः: the third
• तृतीयकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival)

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• चतुर्थः: the fourth
• चतुर्थः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्यात्: should be / may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle: 'then/now')

• पद्म-इष्ट-शक्तयः: the powers (śaktis) desired in/for the lotus
• पद्म-इष्ट-शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष्/इच्छ्) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समासः (पद्मे इष्टाः शक्तयः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/technical sciences section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atikala
• Karala
• Vikarala
• Mahakala
• Padmesta (Brahma)

FAQs

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

It frames Time (Kāla) as a graded, awe-inspiring cosmic principle—moving from Atikāla (Karāla/Vikarāla) to Mahākāla—preparing the reader to understand creation and governance as functions under higher powers, not merely human chronology.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting Mahākāla as ‘Great Time’, it encourages detachment from fleeting conditions and supports devotion by orienting the mind toward the timeless Lord beyond Kāla, a common purāṇic foundation for steady Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedāṅga-style technical enumeration of Kāla (time-divisions), relevant to Jyotiṣa and calendrical reasoning used to time rites, vratas, and observances in Narada Purana rituals.