Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

बाणादिलिंगे वाभ्यर्चेत्सर्वलक्षणलक्षिते । मूलेन मूर्तिं संकल्प्य ध्यात्वा देवं यथोदितम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

bāṇādiliṃge vābhyarcetsarvalakṣaṇalakṣite | mūlena mūrtiṃ saṃkalpya dhyātvā devaṃ yathoditam || 34 ||

Translation

Man soll den Bāṇa-liṅga (oder einen anderen heiligen Liṅga) verehren, der mit allen glückverheißenden Merkmalen gekennzeichnet ist. Mit dem Wurzel-Mantra forme man im Geist die Gestalt der Gottheit, meditiere über den Herrn wie vorgeschrieben und vollziehe dann die Verehrung.

Word by Word

• बाण-आदि-लिङ्गे: in a linga such as an arrow etc.
• बाण-आदि-लिङ्गे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण—‘लिङ्गे’ (in the emblem)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative marker/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• अभ्यर्चेत्: should worship
• अभ्यर्चेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्व-लक्षण-लक्षिते: marked with all (proper) characteristics
• सर्व-लक्षण-लक्षिते: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘लिङ्गे’ इत्यस्य; ‘सर्वलक्षणैः लक्षिते’ (marked by all characteristics)

• मूलेन: with the root (mantra)
• मूलेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण—‘मूलेन (मूलमन्त्रेण)’

• मूर्तिम्: the form (of the deity)
• मूर्तिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• संकल्प्य: having conceived/formed (mentally)
• संकल्प्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्√कॢप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त = ल्यप्), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having conceived)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• यथा-उदितम्: as stated (in the text)
• यथा-उदितम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उदित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—‘यथोदितम्’ = यथा उक्तम्/निर्दिष्टम् (as stated)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer worship becomes effective when grounded in inner practice: first establishing the deity’s form through mantra and meditation, then offering ritual worship according to rule (vidhi).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence—visualizing the Lord with focused dhyāna and then serving that presence through worship, showing devotion as both inward contemplation and outward offering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual precision: selecting a properly marked worship-object (lakṣaṇa), employing the correct mūla-mantra, and following prescribed procedure (yathoditam), aligning with technical liturgical discipline found alongside Vedāṅga-style instruction.