Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The Exposition of the Pratipadā Vrata for the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

कृत्वोंकार नमस्कारं कुशोदकतिलाक्षतैः । सवस्त्रं सहिरण्यं च ततो दद्याद्दिजातये ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

kṛtvoṃkāra namaskāraṃ kuśodakatilākṣataiḥ | savastraṃ sahiraṇyaṃ ca tato dadyāddijātaye || 11 ||

Translation

Nachdem man mit der Silbe Oṁ eine ehrfürchtige Verneigung vollzogen und geweihtes Wasser mit Kuśa-Gras, Sesam und Reiskörnern (akṣata) verwendet hat, soll man dann einem Zweimalgeborenen (Brāhmaṇa) ein Gewand samt Gold geben.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having done’

• ओंकार: the syllable Oṃ (oṃkāra)
• ओंकार: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṃkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• नमस्कारम्: salutation
• नमस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namaskāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुश: kuśa grass
• कुश: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• उदक: water
• उदक: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• तिल: sesame seeds
• तिल: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• अक्षतैः: unbroken rice grains
• अक्षतैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स-वस्त्रम्: together with cloth
• स-वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; thing to be given)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह-भाव) + vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (‘with garments’)

• स-हिरण्यम्: together with gold
• स-हिरण्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; thing to be given)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह-भाव) + hiraṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (‘with gold’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anantara (काल/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): अनन्तर (‘thereafter’)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• द्विजातये: to a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजातये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to the Sanatkumara tradition context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Omkara (Oṁ)

FAQs

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

It frames dāna (charitable giving) as a sanctified act: beginning with Oṁ-salutation and ritual purity (kuśa-water, sesame, akṣata) and culminating in gifting cloth and gold to a dvija, thereby generating puṇya through disciplined, scriptural procedure.

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

While primarily ritual-instructional, it aligns with bhakti by treating giving as an act of reverence—initiated with Oṁ and namaskāra—so the external offering becomes an inward gesture of surrender and respect for dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa (ritual procedure) through the prescribed materials—kuśa, udaka, tila, akṣata—and the correct sequencing of salutation followed by dāna, indicating codified rite-performance rather than improvisation.