Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

बिभ्रतीं रत्नमालां च कोटिचंद्रसमप्रभाम् । ध्यात्वा जपेदर्कलक्षं पायसेन दशांशतः ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

bibhratīṃ ratnamālāṃ ca koṭicaṃdrasamaprabhām | dhyātvā japedarkalakṣaṃ pāyasena daśāṃśataḥ || 53 ||

Translation

بعد التأمل فيها، وهي تلبس إكليلًا من الجواهر وتشرق ببهاءٍ كبهاء عشرة ملايين قمر، فليؤدِّ الجاپا لمانترا «أركا» مئة ألف مرة، ثم ليقدّم عُشر ذلك قرابينَ في النار بپايَسا (أرزّ بالحليب).

Word by Word

• बिभ्रतीम्: bearing/holding
• बिभ्रतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु) + बिभ्रत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle: bearing)

• रत्न-मालाम्: a garland of jewels
• रत्न-मालाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न+माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (रत्नानां माला)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• कोटि-चन्द्र-सम-प्रभाम्: having radiance equal to ten million moons
• कोटि-चन्द्र-सम-प्रभाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि+चन्द्र+सम+प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कोटिचन्द्रैः समा प्रभा यस्याः)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); (having meditated)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (should recite)

• अर्क-लक्षम्: one hundred thousand (times)
• अर्क-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क+लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अर्कस्य/सूर्यस्य लक्षम् = 100,000)

• पायसेन: with sweet rice (payasa)
• पायसेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; (with payasa/sweet rice)

• दशांशतः: as one-tenth (as offering)
• दशांशतः: Sambandha (परिमाण/विधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); (as a tenth/at the rate of one-tenth)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Arka (Sun/Surya)
• Devi (radiant goddess, dhyāna-form)

FAQs

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

It links inner contemplation (dhyāna) with disciplined mantra practice (japa) and its ritual sealing (homa), presenting a complete upāsanā method where visualization, repetition, and offering work together.

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

Bhakti appears here as focused reverence through dhyāna on a luminous divine form and sustained mantra-japa, culminating in an offering that expresses surrender and gratitude through ritual action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects prayoga-style ritual science: a fixed japa-saṅkhyā (one lakh) and the standard daśāṁśa rule (10% homa relative to japa), plus the use of a specific havis (pāyasa) for oblations.