Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Māsopavāsa (Month-long Fast) and Repeated Parāka Observances: Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

ततः संस्नापयेद्विष्णुं पूर्ववत्प्रयतोऽर्चयेत् । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेच्छक्त्या भक्तियुक्तः सदक्षिणम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ saṃsnāpayedviṣṇuṃ pūrvavatprayato'rcayet | brāhmaṇānbhojayecchaktyā bhaktiyuktaḥ sadakṣiṇam || 11 ||

Translation

Dann soll man Śrī Viṣṇu (die Gottheit) baden und Ihn, in Zucht und Sammlung, wie zuvor vorgeschrieben verehren. In Bhakti soll man die Brāhmaṇas nach Kräften speisen und ihnen die gebührende dakṣiṇā (rituelle Gabe) darbringen.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• संस्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• संस्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• प्रयतः: being disciplined/attentive
• प्रयतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (one who is restrained/attentive)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भोजयेत्: should feed (cause to eat)
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative)

• शक्त्या: according to (one's) ability
• शक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• भक्तियुक्तः: endowed with devotion
• भक्तियुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भक्त्या युक्तः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स: he
• स: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दक्षिणम्: a gift/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकस्य नपुंसकलिङ्गवत् रूपम् (gift/fee), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It frames Viṣṇu-pūjā as complete only when inner devotion is joined with disciplined ritual—bathing and worship of the deity—followed by compassionate service to brāhmaṇas through भोजन (feeding) and dakṣiṇā.

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

Bhakti here is not merely emotion; it is expressed through careful worship (arcana) and humble giving (dakṣiṇā) according to one’s means, making devotion practical, ethical, and socially sustaining.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application aligned with Kalpa (procedural discipline of worship): performing deity-snana, arcana “as prescribed,” and concluding with appropriate hospitality and gifting, all according to capacity (śaktyā).