Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 148

The Explanation of Sandhyā and Related Daily Observances

Saṅdhyā-ādi Nitya-karma-Vidhi

Devanagari script

पञ्चवक्त्रां भारतीं तां मुक्ताभूषां भजेत्सुधीः । ध्यात्वैवं तारपूर्वां तां न्यसेन्ङन्तकलान्विताम् ॥ १४८ ॥

Transliteration

pañcavaktrāṃ bhāratīṃ tāṃ muktābhūṣāṃ bhajetsudhīḥ | dhyātvaivaṃ tārapūrvāṃ tāṃ nyasenṅantakalānvitām || 148 ||

Translation

Der Weise soll jene Bhāratī (Sarasvatī) verehren, fünffach im Antlitz und mit Perlen geschmückt. Nachdem er sie so meditiert hat—eingeleitet durch die Silbe Tāra (Oṃ)—soll er den Nyāsa der Buchstaben samt den kalā vollziehen und mit dem nasalen ṅ enden.

Word by Word

• पञ्चवक्त्राम्: five-faced
• पञ्चवक्त्राम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (पञ्च वक्त्राणि यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• भारतीम्: Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• भारतीम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg. pronoun)

• मुक्ताभूषाम्: adorned with pearls
• मुक्ताभूषाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुक्ताभिः भूषा/मुक्ताभूषा ‘adorned with pearls’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• भजेत्: should worship
• भजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg. ‘should worship/serve’)

• सुधीः: the wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु-धीः ‘good/intelligent person’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्या (धातु) → ध्यात्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) ‘having meditated’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• तारपूर्वाम्: preceded by ‘tāra’
• तारपूर्वाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तारः पूर्वः यस्याः/या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg. pronoun)

• न्यसेत्: should place/assign
• न्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु; ‘to place/assign’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg. ‘should place/assign’)

• ङन्त-कल-अन्विताम्: endowed with the ṅ-ending kalās
• ङन्त-कल-अन्विताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ङन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कला (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ङन्तकलाभिः अन्विता ‘endowed with the ṅ-ending kalās’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/mantra-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bharati (Sarasvati)
• Tara (Om/Pranava)

FAQs

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

It presents Bhāratī/Sarasvatī as the presiding power of sacred speech and learning, and teaches that worship becomes effective when joined with disciplined meditation (dhyāna) and precise mantra-application (nyāsa) rooted in the praṇava (Oṃ).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent upāsanā of the deity of speech—approached through contemplation of her form and ornaments—showing devotion guided by correct vidhi (method) rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-śāstra practice allied to Vedāṅga disciplines—especially varṇa-nyāsa (placement of phonemes/letters) and the use of praṇava (Tāra) as the foundational seed before applying the mantra’s kalā-structure.