Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

ऋतुलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं पायसेन ससर्पिषा । जुहुयात्तद्दशांशेन पीठे सोमांतपूजिते ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

ṛtulakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ pāyasena sasarpiṣā | juhuyāttaddaśāṃśena pīṭhe somāṃtapūjite || 56 ||

Translation

Man soll das Mantra in Japa nach dem vorgeschriebenen Maß eines „jahreszeitlichen Lakhs“ wiederholen und danach Homa darbringen mit Pāyasa (Milchreis) vermischt mit Ghee. Das Homa sei ein Zehntel der Japa-Zahl, auf einem geweihten Pīṭha/Altar, der bis zum Soma-Ritus verehrt wurde.

Word by Word

• ऋतु-लक्षम्: a ‘ṛtu-lakṣa’ count (six lakhs)
• ऋतु-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ऋतूनां लक्षम् = ऋतु-परिमाणं; प्रायः ‘ऋतुलक्ष’ = ६ लक्षाः)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पायसेन: with rice-pudding (pāyasa)
• पायसेन: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• स-सर्पिषा: together with ghee
• स-सर्पिषा: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + सर्पिस्/सर्पिष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘स’ = ‘सहित’ (with); सर्पिषा = घृत-रूपेण

• जुहुयात्: should offer into fire
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of that (japa)’—सम्बन्धे

• दशांशेन: by one-tenth (as portion)
• दशांशेन: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘one-tenth portion’

• पीठे: on the altar/seat
• पीठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सोम-अन्त-पूजिते: (on a seat) worshipped with Soma at the end
• सोम-अन्त-पूजिते: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सोम + अन्त + पूजित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सोम-अन्ते पूजितम् = at the end, Soma is worshipped / worshipped with Soma at the end)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Soma

FAQs

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

It links disciplined mantra-japa with fire-offering (homa), teaching that inner repetition is ritually sealed by a proportional oblation (one-tenth), completing the rite in an ordered, sanctified manner.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as steady mantra practice and reverent completion of worship on a consecrated altar—devotion made tangible through careful offering and ritual purity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical ritual arithmetic and procedure—japa-count determination (lakṣa) and the daśāṃśa principle (one-tenth homa), a common operational rule in mantra-sādhana and yajña practice.