Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 148

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

विधिबुद्ध्यार्चयेद्यस्तु दासवच्छ्रीपतिं नृप । भक्तीनां प्रवरा सा तु उत्तमा सात्त्विकी स्मृता ॥ १४८ ॥

Transliteration

vidhibuddhyārcayedyastu dāsavacchrīpatiṃ nṛpa | bhaktīnāṃ pravarā sā tu uttamā sāttvikī smṛtā || 148 ||

Translation

أيها الملك، إن تلك البهكتي تُعَدّ الأسمى—بل الأعلى والأطهر (ساتّفيكية)—حين يعبد المرء شريپتي (Śrīpati) بفهمٍ لسنن الشريعة كما وردت في الكتب، وبقلبِ خادمٍ متواضع.

Word by Word

• विधि-बुद्ध्या: with a sense of rule/ritual propriety
• विधि-बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विधेः बुद्धिः)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• दासवत्: like a servant
• दासवत्: Prakara (प्रकार/मanner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमानवाचक), ‘वत्’ प्रत्ययान्त; manner adverb

• श्रीपतिम्: the Lord of Śrī (Viṣṇu)
• श्रीपतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रियाः पतिः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• भक्तीनाम्: of devotions
• भक्तीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रवरा: the best
• प्रवरा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative sense: best)

• सा: that (devotion)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अन्वयः—भक्तिः

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विशेषार्थक

• उत्तमा: supreme
• उत्तमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सात्त्विकी: sāttvika (of goodness)
• सात्त्विकी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृता: is said/considered
• स्मृता: Kriya (क्रिया/नामधात्वर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is called/considered’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi
• Sripati

FAQs

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

It defines the highest form of devotion as sāttvic bhakti: worship of Viṣṇu (Śrīpati) done according to scriptural method (vidhi) and grounded in humble service (dāsa-bhāva), which purifies the mind and stabilizes dharma.

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

Bhakti here is not merely emotion; it is disciplined upāsanā—worship performed with correct procedure and an inner attitude of servitude to the Lord—thereby making devotion “uttamā” (highest) and “sāttvikī” (pure).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes vidhi (ritual correctness), implying knowledge of Kalpa (proper ritual procedure) and allied disciplines such as mantra application and worship rules used in Vaiṣṇava pūjā.