Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 150

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

श्यामा सरस्वती वृद्धा वैष्णवी गरुडासना । शंखचक्राभयकरा पातु शैवीं दिशं मम ॥ १५० ॥

Transliteration

śyāmā sarasvatī vṛddhā vaiṣṇavī garuḍāsanā | śaṃkhacakrābhayakarā pātu śaivīṃ diśaṃ mama || 150 ||

Translation

Nguyện Nữ thần sắc thẫm—Sarasvatī bậc tôn lão—là Vaiṣṇavī, ngự trên Garuḍa, tay cầm ốc, đĩa và ấn vô úy, hộ trì phương Śaiva của con (phương do Śiva chủ trì).

Word by Word

• śyāmā: dark-complexioned
• śyāmā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa

• sarasvatī: Sarasvatī
• sarasvatī: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; devatā-nāma

• vṛddhā: aged/elder
• vṛddhā: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa

• vaiṣṇavī: Vaiṣṇavī (power of Viṣṇu)
• vaiṣṇavī: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇavī (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; devī-viśeṣa (Vaiṣṇavī)

• garuḍa-āsanā: having Garuḍa as seat/vehicle
• garuḍa-āsanā: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa—‘garuḍaḥ āsanaṃ yasyāḥ sā’

• śaṃkha-cakra-abhaya-karā: whose hands bear conch, discus, and the fear-not gesture
• śaṃkha-cakra-abhaya-karā: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṃkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + abhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; bahu-vastu-dhāraṇa-artha tatpuruṣa—‘śaṃkha-cakra-abhayaṃ karāḥ (hastāḥ) yasyāḥ sā’

• pātu: may (she) protect
• pātu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (पा धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• śaivīm: Śaivī (of Śiva)
• śaivīm: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; diśaḥ viśeṣaṇa (qualifier of direction)

• diśam: direction
• diśam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/gen.), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

Speaker

Narada (in a protective/dik-bandhana style invocation within the instructional flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvati
• Vaishnavi (aspect of Devi)
• Garuda
• Vishnu (implied by Vaiṣṇavī and conch/discus)
• Shiva (Śaiva direction)

FAQs

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

It functions as a directional-protection (dik-rakṣā/dikbandhana) invocation, harmonizing Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava symbolism by asking a Devi-form bearing Viṣṇu’s emblems to guard the Śaiva quarter.

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

Bhakti is expressed through remembrance and surrender: the devotee calls upon the deity with specific forms, attributes, and weapons (śaṅkha-cakra-abhaya), trusting divine protection across all quarters.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual application—mantric nyāsa/directional guarding used in worship procedures—showing how precise epithets and iconographic markers are employed as a practical liturgical technique.