Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

होमसंख्या तु सर्वत्र सहस्रादयुतावधि । प्रकल्पनीया मन्त्रज्ञैः कार्य्यगौरवलाघवात् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

homasaṃkhyā tu sarvatra sahasrādayutāvadhi | prakalpanīyā mantrajñaiḥ kāryyagauravalāghavāt || 37 ||

Translation

In jedem Fall soll die Zahl der Opfergaben im Homa — von tausend bis zehntausend — von Mantra-Kundigen festgesetzt werden, je nachdem das beabsichtigte Werk schwerwiegend (groß) oder leicht (klein) ist.

Word by Word

• homa-saṃkhyā: number of homa oblations

• tu: indeed/but

• sarvatra: in all cases/everywhere

• sahasra: one thousand

• ādi: beginning with

• ayuta: ten thousand

• avadhi: as the limit/up to

• prakalpanīyā: should be निर्धारित/arranged

• mantra-jñaiḥ: by mantra-knowers/ritual experts

• kārya: the rite/task to be accomplished

• gaurava: heaviness/greater importance

• lāghavāt: from lightness/lesser importance (i.e., proportionate to difficulty).

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical ritual standards)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that ritual discipline is not random: homa is to be performed with measured commitment, and the scale of offerings should match the seriousness of the spiritual objective, under the guidance of mantra-competent experts.

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

While the verse is technical, it supports bhakti by emphasizing sincerity and proper method—devotional rites become more effective when performed with correct mantra-vidhi and an intensity suited to the vow or intention.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual science—mantra-vidhi and procedural calibration—showing that qualified mantra-jñas determine counts and standards, a practical aspect aligned with Vedanga-style technical regulation of rites.