Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 81

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

एवं ध्यात्वार्च्चयेद्देवं पूर्ववत्स्थिरमानसः । दध्ना गुडेन नैवेद्यं दत्वा दशशतं जपेत् ॥ ८१ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ dhyātvārccayeddevaṃ pūrvavatsthiramānasaḥ | dadhnā guḍena naivedyaṃ datvā daśaśataṃ japet || 81 ||

Translation

Nachdem man so meditiert hat, soll man mit festem Geist den Herrn wie zuvor verehren; dann, nachdem man Naivedya aus Quark und Jaggery dargebracht hat, soll man das Mantra tausendmal wiederholen.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: ‘thus/in this manner’)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having meditated’

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/रीतिवाचक (indeclinable: ‘as before’)

• स्थिर-मानसः: (one) with steady mind
• स्थिर-मानसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘स्थिरं मानसः यस्य’ (one whose mind is steady)

• दध्ना: with curd
• दध्ना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• गुडेन: with jaggery
• गुडेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• नैवेद्यम्: food offering
• नैवेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• दत्वा: having offered/given
• दत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having given’

• दश-शतम्: a thousand (times)
• दश-शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical compound): ‘दश शतानि’ = 1000 (a thousand)

• जपेत्: should recite (japa)
• जपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Ishvara/Vishnu as the worshipped Lord)

FAQs

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

It presents a complete upasana sequence—dhyana (inner focus), archana (formal worship), naivedya (devotional offering), and fixed-count japa—showing that devotion becomes effective when performed with steadiness and disciplined repetition.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as attentive worship: first contemplate the Lord, then worship as prescribed, offer simple sattvic food (curd and jaggery), and seal the practice with mantra-japa, emphasizing sincerity and consistency over display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual discipline and mantra-practice—counted japa (daśaśata = 1000) and proper naivedya offering—reflecting applied procedural knowledge used in Vedic-style worship traditions.