Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The exposition of the Pañcamī vow to be observed in the twelve months

Devanagari script

सायमागत्य गेहं स्वं भुक्त्वा स्वल्पं समाहितः । लोकपालान्नमस्कृत्य स्वप्याद्भूमितले शुचौ ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

sāyamāgatya gehaṃ svaṃ bhuktvā svalpaṃ samāhitaḥ | lokapālānnamaskṛtya svapyādbhūmitale śucau || 12 ||

Translation

Am Abend kehre er in sein Haus zurück, esse ein wenig mit gesammelt ruhigem Geist; dann verneige er sich vor den Lokapālas und schlafe auf reinem Erdboden.

Word by Word

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb: in the evening)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव, ‘having come’

• गेहम्: home/house
• गेहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object: destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); गेहम् इति विशेषण (adjective of ‘geham’)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव, ‘having eaten’

• स्वल्पम्: a little
• स्वल्पम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भुक्त्वा इत्यस्य कर्म (object of eating)

• समाहितः: composed/collected (in mind)
• समाहितः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोकपालान्: the world-guardians
• लोकपालान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha) ‘लोकस्य पालः’; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नमस्कृत्य: having bowed to
• नमस्कृत्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव, ‘having saluted’

• स्वप्यात्: should sleep
• स्वप्यात्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• भूमि-तले: on the ground
• भूमि-तले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha) ‘भूमेः तलम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुचौ: clean/pure
• शुचौ: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); भूमि-तले इत्यस्य विशेषण (qualifier of location)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in dialogue context associated with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Lokapalas

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined, sattvic evening routine—moderate eating, mental composure, reverence to cosmic guardians, and simple resting—supporting purity and steadiness in dharma.

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

By prescribing remembrance and reverential salutation (namaskāra) before sleep, it cultivates humility and continuous God-oriented awareness through respect for divine order (the Lokapālas).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa/ācāra principles (ritual conduct and daily discipline): moderation in food, maintaining śauca (purity), and prescribed salutations as part of regulated practice.