Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

कपोलविगलद्दानगंधलुब्धा लिशोभितान् । षट्कोणोभयपार्श्वे तु शंखपद्मनिभौ क्रमात् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

kapolavigaladdānagaṃdhalubdhā liśobhitān | ṣaṭkoṇobhayapārśve tu śaṃkhapadmanibhau kramāt || 33 ||

Translation

Geschmückt von Bienen, die gierig nach dem Duft des von den Wangen herabfließenden dāna‑Saftes sind; und zu beiden Seiten des Sechsecks setze man der Reihe nach Gestalten, die der Muschel (śaṅkha) und dem Lotus (padma) gleichen.

Word by Word

• कपोल: cheek
• कपोल: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); stem in compound

• विगलत्: dripping
• विगलत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + गल् (धातु) → विगलत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; प्रथमा एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); present active participle 'dripping/falling'

• दान: ichor (rut-fluid)
• दान: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); stem in compound

• गन्ध: scent
• गन्ध: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); stem in compound

• लुब्धाः: greedy/attracted
• लुब्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लुब्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• कपोलविगलद्दानगन्धलुब्धाः: attracted by the scent of ichor dripping from the cheeks
• कपोलविगलद्दानगन्धलुब्धाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपोल + विगलत् + दान + गन्ध + लुब्ध (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural qualifying an implied group (e.g., bees)

• अलि: bees
• अलि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद); 'bees' implied; stem in compound

• शोभितान्: adorned/beautified
• शोभितान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ् (धातु) → शोभित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural 'adorned'

• अलिशोभितान्: adorned with bees
• अलिशोभितान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलि + शोभित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural qualifying the worshipped forms

• षट्कोण: in the hexagon
• षट्कोण: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + कोण (प्रातिपदिक); षट्कोण (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); 'in the hexagon' (locative sense with next word)

• उभय: both
• उभय: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्/विशेषण; 'both' as compound member

• पार्श्वे: on the side(s)
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• षट्कोणोभयपार्श्वे: on both sides of the hexagon
• षट्कोणोभयपार्श्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्कोण + उभय + पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; adversative/emphatic particle

• शंख: conch
• शंख: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); stem in compound

• पद्म: lotus
• पद्म: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); stem in compound

• निभौ: resembling
• निभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• शंखपद्मनिभौ: two (figures) resembling a conch and a lotus
• शंखपद्मनिभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंख + पद्म + निभ (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Nominative dual (two forms: conch-like and lotus-like)

• क्रमात्: successively, in order
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तसिल्-प्रयोग; adverbial ablative sense 'in order, successively'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shankha
• Padma

FAQs

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

It highlights auspicious iconography—bees, conch, and lotus—as markers of sacred beauty and divine presence, guiding how a ritual space/diagram is to be sanctified.

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

By prescribing the conch and lotus—emblems strongly associated with Vishnu’s worship—it directs the devotee to contemplate and install divine symbols in proper order, strengthening devotional focus during rites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-technical instruction: the ordered placement (kramāt) of specific auspicious forms around a ṣaṭkoṇa indicates applied procedural knowledge used in consecration, worship layouts, and diagrammatic symbolism.