Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

सम्पूज्या स्रेण संक्षाल्य हृदाधारं निधाय च । तत्राग्निमण्डलं चेद्वा पात्रं संक्षाल्य चास्रतः ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

sampūjyā sreṇa saṃkṣālya hṛdādhāraṃ nidhāya ca | tatrāgnimaṇḍalaṃ cedvā pātraṃ saṃkṣālya cāsrataḥ || 2 ||

Translation

Nachdem man in rechter Weise verehrt hat und dann Ort und Gefäße der Ordnung gemäß gereinigt und gewaschen hat, soll man im Herzen den Ādhāra, die innere Stütze, einsetzen. Darauf errichte man den Feuerkreis (Agni-maṇḍala); oder andernfalls, nachdem man das Ritualgefäß gewaschen hat, fahre man ohne Hast fort.

Word by Word

• सम्पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √पूज् with उपसर्ग सम्; ‘having duly worshipped’

• स्रेण: with a stream (of water)
• स्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्र (धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘with a stream/flow’ (context: water stream)

• संक्षाल्य: having washed
• संक्षाल्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √क्षल् ‘to wash’ with उपसर्ग सम्; ‘having washed’

• हृद्-आधारम्: the heart-support (base)
• हृद्-आधारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: हृदः आधारः → हृदाधारः; ‘heart-support/base’

• निधाय: having placed
• निधाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √धा ‘to place’ with उपसर्ग नि; ‘having placed’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• अग्नि-मण्डलम्: the fire-circle (agni maṇḍala)
• अग्नि-मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अग्नेः मण्डलम् → अग्निमण्डलम्

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त/यदि)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• पात्रम्: the vessel
• पात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• संक्षाल्य: having washed
• संक्षाल्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having washed’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• अस्रतः: from that stream
• अस्रतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अस्रतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय); ‘from/with (that) stream’ (reading uncertain in context)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a ritual-technical exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that outer purity (washing/śuddhi) and inner placement (hṛdādhāra—establishing the sacred seat in the heart) must go together before invoking the ritual fire or its substitute.

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

By directing the practitioner to install the ‘support in the heart’ before the external rite, it aligns ritual action with inward remembrance—making worship an act of steady, attentive devotion rather than mere formality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural discipline (krama/sreṇa) and ritual purity (pātra-śuddhi, śauca) associated with technical ritual practice—how to cleanse implements and establish the agni-maṇḍala correctly and calmly.