Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

विद्ये विद्यामालिनि स्यादंत चंद्रिणि कतवदेत् । चंद्रमुखि द्विठांतोऽयं विद्यामंत्र उदाहृतः ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

vidye vidyāmālini syādaṃta caṃdriṇi katavadet | caṃdramukhi dviṭhāṃto'yaṃ vidyāmaṃtra udāhṛtaḥ || 70 ||

Translation

“（应当称呼她：）‘噢，毗提耶（Vidyā）！噢，知识之鬘者！噢，具月华光辉者！噢，月面者！’如此，以两个音节‘ṭha’作结，此即宣说为毗提耶真言。”

Word by Word

• विद्ये: O Vidyā!
• विद्ये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (vocative)

• विद्यामालिनि: O one adorned with knowledge!
• विद्यामालिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या-मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘garlanded with vidyās/knowledge’

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्त: end / final (syllable)
• अन्त: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पाठदोष-संभवः: ‘अन्तः/अन्ते’ अपेक्षितम्)

• चन्द्रिणि: O moon-like one!
• चन्द्रिणि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रिणी/चन्द्रिण् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (चन्द्र-सम्बद्धा)

• कतवत्: (textual form unclear)
• कतवत्: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कतवत् (अव्यय/पाठरूप)
• Form: अव्यय; (पाठदोष-संभवः—अर्थानुसारं ‘कथवत्/कृत्वा/कथयेत्’ इत्यादि अपेक्षितम्)

• एत्: (go/should go?) (unclear)
• एत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-रूपसंदेह; तिङन्त-रूप (पाठदोष-संभवः: ‘एत्’ असामान्य)

• चन्द्रमुखि: O moon-faced one!
• चन्द्रमुखि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र-मुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘moon-faced’

• द्विठान्तः: ending with two ‘ṭha’ sounds
• द्विठान्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि-ठ-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having two ṭha’s at the end’ (mantra-निर्देश)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्यामन्त्रः: the vidyā-mantra
• विद्यामन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उदाहृतः: is declared/uttered
• उदाहृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग: ‘has been stated’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vidyā-mantra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vidyā (personified power of knowledge)

FAQs

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

It frames Vidyā (sacred knowledge) as a worship-worthy power invoked through specific epithets and a precise mantra-ending, emphasizing that spiritual learning is approached with reverence and correct formulation.

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

Even in a technical chapter, the verse models bhakti through direct address (vocatives) and praise—treating knowledge as divine and approached through humble, faithful invocation rather than mere intellectual effort.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa: it points to correct phonetic/metrical recitation and grammatical/formal markers (the specified ending ‘dvi-ṭhānta’) as essential for a mantra’s proper usage.