Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 143

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

Devanagari script

चतुष्पदा ब्रह्मदंडा ब्रह्माणी दक्षिणानना । षड्विंशतत्त्वसंयुक्ता पातु मे दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥ १४३ ॥

Transliteration

catuṣpadā brahmadaṃḍā brahmāṇī dakṣiṇānanā | ṣaḍviṃśatattvasaṃyuktā pātu me dakṣiṇāṃ diśam || 143 ||

Translation

愿梵母（Brahmāṇī）——具“四步”，执梵天之杖，面向南方，具足二十六真理（tattva）——护持我之南方。

Word by Word

• catuṣ-padā: four-stepped/fourfold
• catuṣ-padā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catuṣ + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (four-stepped/fourfold)

• brahma-daṃḍā: bearing the Brahma-staff
• brahma-daṃḍā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (having Brahmā’s staff / Brahma-staff)

• brahmāṇī: Brahmāṇī
• brahmāṇī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• dakṣiṇa-ānanā: south-facing
• dakṣiṇa-ānanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (south-facing)

• ṣaḍ-viṃśati-tattva-saṃyuktā: connected with twenty-six principles
• ṣaḍ-viṃśati-tattva-saṃyuktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaḍviṃśati + tattva + saṃyukta (प्रातिपदik; saṃyukta = sam-√yuj + kta)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (associated with 26 tattvas)

• pātu: may (she) protect
• pātu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• me: my / for me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Genitive/Dative singular; enclitic form)

• dakṣiṇāṃ: southern
• dakṣiṇāṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• diśam: direction
• diśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (within a didactic recitation transmitted in the Narada Purana’s technical/ritual section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmāṇī
• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It functions as a directional-protection (dik-rakṣā) invocation, aligning the practitioner with a presiding divine power (Brahmāṇī) to safeguard the southern quarter through mantra and contemplative visualization.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent surrender—requesting protection from the deity with specific attributes (form, direction, emblem), cultivating focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and dependence on divine grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual knowledge: using mantric formulas with precise iconographic and directional specifications—an approach consistent with auxiliary disciplines used in correct recitation and ritual deployment (e.g., śikṣā for sound/intonation and kalpa-style procedural framing).