Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 83

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

ततश्चाचम्य विप्रेंद्र शास्त्रचिंतापरो भवेत् । रात्रावपि यथाशक्ति शयनासनभोजनैः ॥ ८३ ॥

Transliteration

tataścācamya vipreṃdra śāstraciṃtāparo bhavet | rātrāvapi yathāśakti śayanāsanabhojanaiḥ || 83 ||

Translation

Dann, nachdem man ācāmana vollzogen hat, o Bester der Brāhmaṇas, soll man sich der Betrachtung der Śāstras widmen; selbst in der Nacht soll man, soweit es möglich ist, Maß halten in Schlaf, Sitzkomfort und Nahrung.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/क्रम (अनुक्रम/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आचम्य: having sipped (water)
• आचम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययकृदन्त; धातुः: चम्, उपसर्गः: आ-; अर्थः: having sipped (water)

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः

• शास्त्र-चिन्ता-परः: devoted to contemplation of scripture
• शास्त्र-चिन्ता-परः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शास्त्रस्य चिन्ता (शास्त्रचिन्ता) तस्यां परः = devoted to reflection on scripture

• भवेत्: should be, should become
• भवेत्: विधेय (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन (singular)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: अपि (particle: also/even)

• यथा-शक्ति: according to one’s ability
• यथा-शक्ति: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः (adverbial compound): यथाशक्ति = शक्त्यानुसारम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शयन-आसन-भोजनैः: by (means of/with regard to) sleeping, sitting, and eating
• शयन-आसन-भोजनैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन (plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (copulative): by sleeping, sitting, and eating (i.e., in these activities)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

FAQs

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

It teaches that purity (ācamana) should be followed by sustained śāstra-vicāra, supported by practical restraint—reducing indulgence in sleep, comfort, and food—to strengthen sattva and spiritual focus.

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

While not naming a deity here, it supports bhakti indirectly: disciplined senses and regular scriptural reflection make the mind steady, which is essential for remembering and serving the Lord with concentration.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual hygiene through ācamana aligns with kalpa (procedural discipline), and the emphasis on śāstra-ciṃtā reflects the method of textual inquiry used across śāstra traditions.