Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

अंगानि कल्पयित्वा च ध्यायेत्पीताम्बरां ततः । स्वर्णासनस्थां हेमाभां स्तंभिनीमिंदुशेखराम् ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

aṃgāni kalpayitvā ca dhyāyetpītāmbarāṃ tataḥ | svarṇāsanasthāṃ hemābhāṃ staṃbhinīmiṃduśekharām || 87 ||

Translation

先于心中安置诸支分与其位次，然后当观想黄衣女神——端坐金座，光辉如金，为令众动止息之力（Stambhinī），并以月轮为顶髻之冠。

Word by Word

• aṅgāni: limbs / parts
• aṅgāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kalpayitvā: having arranged
• kalpayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kḷp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having arranged/constructed’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• dhyāyet: one should meditate
• dhyāyet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• pīta-ambarām: (her) wearing yellow garments
• pīta-ambarām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīta (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः—‘she whose garment is yellow’

• tataḥ: then / thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• svarṇa-āsana-sthām: seated on a golden throne
• svarṇa-āsana-sthām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘seated on a golden seat’

• hema-ābhām: golden-hued
• hema-ābhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + ābhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘having golden radiance’

• staṃbhinīm: the Stambhinī (she who paralyzes)
• staṃbhinīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: staṃbhinī (प्रातिपदिक; from √staṃbh, feminine agent noun)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• indu-śekharām: moon-crested
• indu-śekharām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indu (प्रातिपदिक) + śekhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘having the moon as crest’

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a technical/ritual-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Stambhini (Shakti)
• Indushekhara (moon-crested deity-epithet)

FAQs

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

It teaches a precise upāsanā method: mentally constructing the deity’s form (aṅga-kalpanā) and then fixing the mind in dhyāna on a specific śakti-form—showing that inner visualization is a core limb of ritual and mantra practice.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of focused contemplative devotion: the devotee lovingly holds the deity’s attributes—yellow garments, golden radiance, golden throne, moon-crest—so the mind becomes one-pointed and receptive to divine grace and power.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the technical discipline of ritual procedure—dhyāna as a preparatory limb of mantra-sādhana—where correct mental ‘construction’ (kalpanā) and iconographic precision support effective practice.