Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Devapūjā-krama: Ārghya-saṃskāra, Maṇḍala–Nyāsa, Mudrā-pradarśana, Āvaraṇa-arcana, Homa, Japa, and Kṣamāpaṇa

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथ वक्ष्ये देवपूजां साधकाभीष्टसिद्धिदाम् । त्रिकोणं चतुरस्रं वा वामभागे प्रकल्प्य च ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | atha vakṣye devapūjāṃ sādhakābhīṣṭasiddhidām | trikoṇaṃ caturasraṃ vā vāmabhāge prakalpya ca || 1 ||

Translation

Sanatkumāra sprach: Nun werde ich die Verehrung der Gottheiten darlegen, die dem Sādhaka die Erfüllung der gewünschten Vollkommenheiten verleiht. Zuerst richte man auf der linken Seite einen dreieckigen oder quadratischen Ritualraum bzw. ein Diagramm ein…

Word by Word

• sanat-kumāraḥ: Sanatkumāra
• sanat-kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanat (प्रातिपदिक) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (proper name)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• atha: now/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, discourse particle (आनन्तर्य/प्रस्ताव)

• vakṣye: I shall describe
• vakṣye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• deva-pūjām: worship of the deity
• deva-pūjām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘देवस्य पूजाम्’)

• sādhaka-abhīṣṭa-siddhi-dām: granting the practitioner the desired attainments
• sādhaka-abhīṣṭa-siddhi-dām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक) + abhīṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (दा धातु-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त ‘द’/‘दातृ’ भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘साधकस्य अभीष्टसिद्धिं ददाति या’—as adjective qualifying devapūjām

• trikoṇam: a triangle
• trikoṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + koṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु (‘three-angled figure/triangle’)

• caturasram: a square
• caturasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + asra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु (‘four-sided figure/square’)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• vāma-bhāge: on the left side/part
• vāma-bhāge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘वामः भागः’)

• prakalpya: having prepared/constructed
• prakalpya: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kḷp (कॢप् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having arranged/constructed’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• Devas

FAQs

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

It introduces a structured deva-pūjā method said to confer siddhi—spiritual and practical attainments—when performed with correct ritual setup and intention.

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

It frames devotion as disciplined worship: bhakti is expressed through precise, reverent ritual preparation (mandala/space arrangement) that supports focused deity-centered practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-technical knowledge—especially altar/mandala geometry (triangle/square) and procedural setup—reflecting applied śāstra used in pūjā and related kalpa-style practice.