Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

कलावतीमुखाष्टानामीश्वरी ललिता मता । राधाचरणपूजायामुक्ता मालावतीमुखाः ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

kalāvatīmukhāṣṭānāmīśvarī lalitā matā | rādhācaraṇapūjāyāmuktā mālāvatīmukhāḥ || 9 ||

Translation

کلاوتی وغیرہ آٹھ روپوں میں ایشوری کے طور پر للیتا مانی جاتی ہے؛ اور رادھا کے چرنوں کی پوجا میں مالاوتی وغیرہ روپ بیان کیے گئے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• कलावतीमुखाष्टानाम्: of the group of eight headed by Kalāvatī
• कलावतीमुखाष्टानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलावती + मुख + अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कलावतीमुख-समूहः) + ‘अष्ट’ (eight)

• ईश्वरी: the mistress/leader
• ईश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• ललिता: Lalitā
• ललिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ईश्वरी इत्यस्य समानााधिकरणम्

• मता: is considered
• मता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is considered’

• राधाचरणपूजायाम्: in the worship of Rādhā’s feet
• राधाचरणपूजायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा + चरण + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (राधायाः चरणयोः पूजा)

• उक्ता: are said (to be)
• उक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (समूहवाचक-स्त्री); ‘are said/called’

• मालावतीमुखाः: those headed by Mālāvatī
• मालावतीमुखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मालावती + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मालावती मुखं यस्याः/येषां ते) ‘headed by Mālāvatī’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lalitā
• Rādhā
• Kalāvatīmukhā
• Mālāvatīmukhā

FAQs

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

It identifies Lalitā as the presiding Śakti among a named group of eight, and links that devotional hierarchy directly to the practice of worshiping Rādhā’s feet—emphasizing ordered, name-based devotion (nāma-smaraṇa and pūjā-krama).

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

Bhakti is presented as structured worship: honoring Rādhā through caraṇa-pūjā while invoking attendant divine forms in a prescribed sequence, with Lalitā acknowledged as the leading īśvarī within that set.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application of mantra/nāma lists and pūjā-krama (procedural ordering) is implied—an applied, technical dimension of worship aligned with śrauta/smārta-style precision in recitation and sequence.