Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 62

The Exposition of the Dvādaśī Vow for the Twelve Months

Dvādaśī-vrata-nirṇaya and Mahā-dvādaśī Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

मूर्तिं निर्माय सौवर्णीं जनार्दनसमाह्वयाम् । अभ्यर्च्य गन्धपुष्पाद्यैस्तदग्रे भोजयेद्द्विजान् ॥ ६२ ॥

Transliteration

mūrtiṃ nirmāya sauvarṇīṃ janārdanasamāhvayām | abhyarcya gandhapuṣpādyaistadagre bhojayeddvijān || 62 ||

Translation

Nachdem man ein goldenes Bildnis gefertigt und Janārdana darin angerufen hat, soll man es mit Duftstoffen, Blumen und dergleichen verehren; und dann in seiner Gegenwart die Zweimalgeborenen (Brahmanen) speisen.

Word by Word

• मूर्तिम्: an image/form
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• निर्माय: having made
• निर्माय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्+मा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having made/constructed’

• सौवर्णीम्: golden
• सौवर्णीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मूर्तिम्)

• जनार्दनसमाह्वयाम्: named ‘Janārdana’
• जनार्दनसमाह्वयाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जनार्दन-समाह्वया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जनार्दन इति समाह्वया/नाम यस्याः)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having worshipped’

• गन्धपुष्पाद्यैः: with perfumes, flowers, etc.
• गन्धपुष्पाद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-पुष्प-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (गन्धाः च पुष्पाणि च आदीनि च)

• तदग्रे: in front of it
• तदग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (in front of that)

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: ‘cause to eat/feed’)

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Akhaṇḍa-vrata (contextual continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It presents a complete act of devotion: inviting Janārdana into a consecrated form, honoring Him with offerings, and expressing that worship outwardly through feeding brāhmaṇas as sacred recipients in the Lord’s presence.

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

Bhakti is shown as both reverence and service—arcana (worship with gandha and puṣpa) combined with compassionate giving (bhojana/anna-dāna) performed as an offering before Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application aligned with Kalpa (procedural discipline of worship and offerings): proper invocation (samāhvāna), upacāras like fragrance and flowers, and the dharmic practice of feeding qualified dvijas as part of the rite.