Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधरो यस्तु तुलसीमूलमृत्स्नया । गोपिकाचन्दनेनापि चित्रकूटमृदापि वा । गङ्गामृत्तिकया चैव तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु ॥ २६ ॥
ūrdhvapuṇḍradharo yastu tulasīmūlamṛtsnayā | gopikācandanenāpi citrakūṭamṛdāpi vā | gaṅgāmṛttikayā caiva tasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu || 26 ||
যে ব্যক্তি তুলসীমূলের পবিত্র মাটি, বা গোপীচন্দন, বা চিত্রকূটের মৃৎ, কিংবা গঙ্গার মৃত্তিকা দিয়ে ঊর্ধ্বপুণ্ড্র ধারণ করে—তার পুণ্যফল শোন।
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that wearing the ūrdhva-puṇḍra (Vaiṣṇava tilaka) using sanctified substances connected with bhakti and tīrthas—Tulasī, Gopī-candana, Citrakūṭa, and Gaṅgā—produces specific religious merit and marks the devotee’s identity as dedicated to Viṣṇu.
Bhakti is expressed through embodied practice: the devotee outwardly bears a sacred mark made from devotional and tīrtha-associated earth, signaling surrender and remembrance of Viṣṇu as part of daily conduct, not only inner feeling.
Ritual application (kalpa/prayoga) is implied: the verse specifies approved materials for tilaka (mṛtsnā/mṛttikā), reflecting procedural dharma—what substances are fit for a Vaiṣṇava mark and how tīrtha-sanctified elements are used in practice.