Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 65

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

तुलसीकाननं दृष्ट्वा ये नमस्कुर्वते नराः । तत्काष्ठाङ्कितकर्णा ये ते वै भागवतोत्तमाः ॥ ६५ ॥

Transliteration

tulasīkānanaṃ dṛṣṭvā ye namaskurvate narāḥ | tatkāṣṭhāṅkitakarṇā ye te vai bhāgavatottamāḥ || 65 ||

Translation

الذين إذا رأوا بستان التولسي (Tulasī) انحنوا ساجدين إجلالًا—والذين وُسِمت أو زُيّنت آذانهم بذلك الخشب المقدّس—فأولئك حقًّا هم أرفع البهاغافاتا، خُلّص عباد بهاغافان.

Word by Word

• तुलसीकाननम्: the tulasī-grove
• तुलसीकाननम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी + कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (तुलस्याः काननम् = tulasī-grove)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• नमस्कुर्वते: bow, offer salutations
• नमस्कुर्वते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; ‘pay homage’

• नराः: men, persons
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तत्काष्ठाङ्कितकर्णाः: whose ears are marked with that (tulasī) wood
• तत्काष्ठाङ्कितकर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् + काष्ठ + अङ्कित + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (तत्-काष्ठेन अङ्किताः कर्णाः येषाम्/whose ears are marked with that wood)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (repetition for emphasis)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• भागवतोत्तमाः: the best devotees
• भागवतोत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi
• Bhagavan (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It elevates Tulasī-reverence to a hallmark of the highest Bhāgavatas: even seeing a Tulasī grove and offering namaskāra is treated as a direct act of devotion to Bhagavān.

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

Bhakti is shown as embodied reverence—humble salutations to Tulasī (dear to Vishnu) and adopting visible devotional identifiers—indicating steady orientation of life and senses toward Bhagavān.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is ritual-devotional conduct (ācāra): honoring sacred plants/objects associated with Vishnu as part of Vaiṣṇava practice.