Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

Dīpa-vidhi-vyākhyānam

Procedure for Lamp-Offering to Hanumān

Devanagari script

तालमूलात्स्वकाष्टायां मार्गे हस्तमिते गृहम् । चतुरस्र विधायाथ तन्मध्ये मूर्तिमालिखेत् ॥ ७८ ॥

Transliteration

tālamūlātsvakāṣṭāyāṃ mārge hastamite gṛham | caturasra vidhāyātha tanmadhye mūrtimālikhet || 78 ||

Translation

Vom Fuß der Tāla-Palme aus soll man auf der eigenen Holztafel, die am Weg liegt, einen hausgleichen Platz von einem Hasta Maß anlegen. Nachdem man ihn quadratisch gestaltet hat, zeichne man in der Mitte die heilige Mūrti.

Word by Word

• tāla-mūlāt: from the root of the palm tree
• tāla-mūlāt: Apadana (अपादान/From)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāla (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास

• sva-kāṣṭāyām: on one’s own plank/wooden board
• sva-kāṣṭāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय-समास

• mārge: on the path/line
• mārge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• hasta-mite: measured by a hand-span
• hasta-mite: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + mita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from mā धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with mārge; 'measured by a hand'

• gṛham: a house/structure
• gṛham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• caturasram: square/four-sided
• caturasram: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with gṛham

• vidhāya: having arranged/made
• vidhāya: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-dhā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), sequential particle (अनन्तरार्थक निपात)

• tad-madhye: in its middle
• tad-madhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास

• mūrtim: a form/image
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ālikhet: should draw/inscribe
• ālikhet: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-likh (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined sacred geometry: a properly measured, square enclosure with a centered sacred form is treated as a fit vessel for invoking and stabilizing divine presence in ritual practice.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through precise, reverent preparation—devotion is not only emotion but also careful consecration of space, placing the mūrti at the center as the focus of worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical canons allied to Vedanga practice—standard measurement (hasta-māna), orderly square layout (caturasra), and prescribed inscription/drawing (ālekhana) used in ritual and sacred construction.