Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

श्रद्धा मेधा श्रुतिश्चैवस्वनामाद्यक्षरादिकाः । पत्राग्रेष्वर्चयेदष्टावायुधानि यथाक्रमात् ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

śraddhā medhā śrutiścaivasvanāmādyakṣarādikāḥ | patrāgreṣvarcayedaṣṭāvāyudhāni yathākramāt || 84 ||

Translation

Mit heiliger Hingabe, Einsicht und Kenntnis der Śruti—beginnend mit der ersten Silbe des eigenen Namens—soll man der Reihe nach die acht göttlichen Waffen an den Blattspitzen verehren.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धा: faith (as a name/form)
• श्रद्धा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मेधा: intelligence
• मेधा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• श्रुतिः: revelation / sacred hearing
• श्रुतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• स्वनाम: one's own name
• स्वनाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'of oneself' + 'name'

• आदि: beginning/first etc.
• आदि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as compound-member meaning 'beginning/and so on'

• अक्षर: syllable/letter
• अक्षर: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as compound-member

• आदिकाः: and the rest, etc.
• आदिकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; 'etc.-like/and others' qualifying implied items

• पत्राग्रेषु: on the leaf-tips
• पत्राग्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'leaf' + 'tip' = 'on the tips of leaves'

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

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; numeral qualifying 'āyudhāni' (sense: eight)

• आयुधानि: weapons
• आयुधानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमान (manner: 'as/according to')

• क्रमात्: in due order
• क्रमात्: Hetu/Prakara (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे 'in order/ क्रमशः' (ablative of manner)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical-ritual register within the Purva Bhaga dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that correct worship is not only external ritual but is grounded in inner qualifications—faith (śraddhā), clarity of intellect (medhā), and scriptural orientation (śruti)—and that the worship should be performed with orderly precision (yathākramāt).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as attentive, reverent upāsanā: the devotee approaches the divine with śraddhā and performs a structured offering to the Lord’s sacred implements, treating even small ritual spaces (leaf-tips) as fit for consecrated worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights procedural discipline and mantra-letter awareness: beginning from the first syllable (ādya-akṣara) and following a fixed sequence (krama), reflecting the Vedāṅga spirit of precise recitation, arrangement, and ritual method.