Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

Dīpa-vidhi-vyākhyānam

Procedure for Lamp-Offering to Hanumān

Devanagari script

एकविंशतिसंख्याकास्तन्तवोऽथाध्वनि स्मृताः । रक्तसूत्रं हनुमतो दीपदाने प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

ekaviṃśatisaṃkhyākāstantavo'thādhvani smṛtāḥ | raktasūtraṃ hanumato dīpadāne prakīrtitam || 25 ||

Translation

في طريق الشعائر (أدڤان)، تُذكر الخيوط أنها واحدٌ وعشرون. وفي تقديم المصابيح (ديبا-دانا) يُشرَع خيطٌ أحمر مرتبطٌ بهنومان.

Word by Word

• ekaviṃśati-saṃkhyākāḥ: having the number twenty-one
• ekaviṃśati-saṃkhyākāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekaviṃśati + saṃkhyāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Bahuvacana; विशेषण (adjectival)

• tantavaḥ: threads
• tantavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Bahuvacana

• atha: then/and
• atha: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle/conjunction (अनन्तरार्थ/समुच्चय)

• adhvani: on the path/route
• adhvani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/Locative), Ekavacana

• smṛtāḥ: are remembered/are stated
• smṛtāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Bhūta-kṛdanta (past passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicative with implied 'santi'

• rakta-sūtram: the red thread
• rakta-sūtram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta + sūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; 'raktaṃ sūtram'

• hanumataḥ: of Hanumat (Hanuman)
• hanumataḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana

• dīpa-dāne: in the offering of a lamp
• dīpa-dāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī (7th/Locative), Ekavacana; 'dīpasya dāne'

• prakīrtitam: is proclaimed/mentioned
• prakīrtitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kīrt (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Bhūta-kṛdanta (past passive participle), Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā/ द्वितीया, Ekavacana; predicative

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/ritual-technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman

FAQs

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

It emphasizes precision in sacred procedure: specific counts (twenty-one threads) and prescribed materials (a red thread) sanctify the act of dīpa-dāna, making the offering aligned with tradition and devotion.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through disciplined upacāra—offering lamps with the proper ritual accessories, and remembering Hanumān as a devotional association that supports steadfastness and service.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical specification—counts, implements, and procedure (adhvan)—a hallmark of applied Vedanga-style instruction used to standardize rites like dīpa-dāna.