Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

वज्रोदके शिखां पातु उग्रतारां तु वर्मणि । महोग्रा वत्सरे नेत्रे पिंगाग्रैकजटास्त्रके ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

vajrodake śikhāṃ pātu ugratārāṃ tu varmaṇi | mahogrā vatsare netre piṃgāgraikajaṭāstrake || 64 ||

Translation

愿金刚水女（Vajrodakā）护持我的顶髻（śikhā）；愿怖烈度母（Ugratārā）护持我的护甲（varman）。愿大怖者（Mahogrā）守护我的小腿；愿黄焰顶髻（Piṅgāgrā‑Ekajaṭā）护持我的双眼与我的阿斯特拉（astra，咒武）。

Word by Word

• vajra-udake: in/with vajra-water
• vajra-udake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana; तत्पुरुष: ‘vajrasya udakam’ (vajra-water)

• śikhām: the topknot/crest (śikhā)
• śikhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana

• pātu: may (she) protect
• pātu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• ugra-tārām: Ugratārā (fierce Tārā)
• ugra-tārām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + tārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana; कर्मधारय: ‘ugrā ca sā tārā ca’ (fierce Tārā)

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात)

• varmaṇi: in the armor/protective covering
• varmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana

• mahā-ugrā: Mahogrā (the very fierce one)
• mahā-ugrā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ugrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana; कर्मधारय: ‘mahantī ca sā ugrā ca’ (very fierce one)

• vatsare: in the year/annual (place)
• vatsare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana

• netre: in the eye(s)
• netre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (or Dvivacana Nom./Acc. by form; here taken as Loc. sg. parallel to other locatives)

• piṃga-agra-ekajaṭā-astrake: in the Piṃgāgra-Ekajaṭā-astraka (weapon-mantra)
• piṃga-agra-ekajaṭā-astrake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṃga (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + ekajaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + astraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘piṃgaṃ agraṃ yasya…’ etc., name/epithet of a protective ‘astraka’ (weapon-mantra)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a technical-ritual protection scheme within the Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vajrodakā
• Ugratārā
• Mahogrā
• Piṅgāgrā-Ekajaṭā

FAQs

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

It assigns fierce protective deity-forms to specific limbs and implements, expressing the kavaca principle that spiritual protection is invoked by mantra through precise bodily placement (nyāsa).

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

Even in a technical ritual verse, devotion appears as surrender: the practitioner entrusts vulnerable parts (eyes, legs, śikhā) and protective means (armor, weapon) to the deity’s guardianship through mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and mantra-application: a nyāsa/kavaca mapping (deity → body-part/implement), showing the technical use of mantra in protective rites within the Vedanga-oriented material.