Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

तृतीयवर्षे चौलं च पंचमे षष्टसम्मिते । सत्पमे चाष्टमे वापि कुर्याद् गृह्योक्तमार्गतः ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tṛtīyavarṣe caulaṃ ca paṃcame ṣaṣṭasammite | satpame cāṣṭame vāpi kuryād gṛhyoktamārgataḥ || 9 ||

Translation

Im dritten Jahr soll das Haarabschneide‑Ritual (cūḍākaraṇa) vollzogen werden. Andernfalls kann es im fünften, im sechsten, ja sogar im siebten oder achten Jahr geschehen—gemäß dem in den Gṛhya‑Sūtras dargelegten häuslichen Ritus.

Word by Word

• तृतीयवर्षे: in the third year
• तृतीयवर्षे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय-वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तृतीयस्य वर्षस्य इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (locative: in the third year)

• चौलम्: tonsure ceremony
• चौलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (object)

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

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth (year)
• पञ्चमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्) locative: in the fifth (year)

• षष्ठसम्मिते: in the sixth (year)
• षष्ठसम्मिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ-सम्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठेन सम्मितः इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (equal to the sixth; i.e., sixth) (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्)

• सप्तमे: in the seventh (year)
• सप्तमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्) locative: in the seventh (year)

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

• अष्टमे: in the eighth (year)
• अष्टमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्) locative: in the eighth (year)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (should do)

• गृह्योक्तमार्गतः: according to the Gṛhya-prescribed method
• गृह्योक्तमार्गतः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrumental means)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गृह्य-उक्त-मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; गृह्ये उक्तः मार्गः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (according to the path stated in the Gṛhya-sūtras)

Speaker

Sage Narada (teaching in a dharma/saṃskāra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It situates cūḍākaraṇa (chaula) within dharma as a purificatory saṃskāra, emphasizing that personal rites should be performed at appropriate ages and in conformity with authoritative Gṛhya procedure.

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

Indirectly: by insisting on Gṛhya-based saṃskāras, it supports a life ordered by dharma—traditionally regarded as a foundation for steady worship and later Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (Vedāṅga)—specifically Gṛhya-sūtra ritual methodology—by prescribing permissible timings and directing the performer to follow the Gṛhya-text procedure.