Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

घृतेन स्नापयेल्लिङ्गमुत्थाने द्वादशीदिने । क्षीरेण वा महाभाग तत्फलं शृणु मद्गिरा ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

ghṛtena snāpayelliṅgamutthāne dvādaśīdine | kṣīreṇa vā mahābhāga tatphalaṃ śṛṇu madgirā || 57 ||

Translation

O Edler, am Dvādaśī-Tag zur Zeit des utthāna (beim Aufstehen) soll man den Liṅga mit Ghee oder mit Milch baden. Höre aus meinen Worten die Frucht dieser Handlung.

Word by Word

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य (optative/imperative sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्थाने: at (the time of) Utthāna
• उत्थाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्वादशी-दिने: on the Dvādaśī day
• द्वादशी-दिने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘द्वादश्याः दिनम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• क्षीरेण: with milk
• क्षीरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle of alternative)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘महान् भागः यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• तत्-फलम्: that result
• तत्-फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तस्य फलम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मत्-गिरा: by my speech/words
• मत्-गिरा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + गिर्/गिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मम गिरा’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames liṅga-abhiṣeka as a dharmic act whose merit (phala) is specifically tied to timing (Dvādaśī and utthāna) and purity of offerings (ghee or milk), emphasizing disciplined devotion through ritual.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as attentive service (upacāra) to the deity—bathing the liṅga with reverent substances and listening to the promised spiritual fruit—showing devotion as both action and faith in scriptural instruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-style ritual procedure is implied: correct tithi (Dvādaśī), proper timing (utthāna), and prescribed materials (ghee/milk) indicate practical ritual discipline rather than grammar or astrology.