Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

गृहयुग्मं शिवा स्वाहा बलिमंत्रोऽयमीरितः । दद्यान्नित्यं बलिं तेन मध्यरात्रे चतुष्पथे ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

gṛhayugmaṃ śivā svāhā balimaṃtro'yamīritaḥ | dadyānnityaṃ baliṃ tena madhyarātre catuṣpathe || 77 ||

Translation

„Häuserpaar; o Śivā, svāhā“ — dies ist das verkündete bali‑Mantra. Mit diesem Mantra soll man täglich das bali darbringen, um Mitternacht, an einer Kreuzung von vier Wegen.

Word by Word

• गृह-युग्मम्: a pair of houses
• गृह-युग्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘गृहाणां युग्मम्’

• शिवा: Śivā (goddess)
• शिवा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वाहा: svāhā (ritual utterance)
• स्वाहा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: मन्त्र-निपात (ritual exclamation), अव्यय

• बलि-मन्त्रः: the bali-mantra (offering mantra)
• बलि-मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘बलेः मन्त्रः’/‘बलिमन्त्र’

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईरितः: is declared
• ईरितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु) → ईरित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is declared’

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नित्यम्: daily, always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative): ‘always/daily’

• बलिम्: offering
• बलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेन: by that (mantra)
• तेन: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मध्य-रात्रे: at midnight
• मध्य-रात्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रात्रेः मध्ये’

• चतुष्पथे: at the crossroads
• चतुष्पथे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुस् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘चतुषां पथानां समाहारः’ = crossroads

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within Vedanga/ritual-vidhi discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śivā

FAQs

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

It prescribes a specific bali-mantra and a precise ritual setting (midnight at a crossroads), emphasizing disciplined, rule-based observance (vidhi) as a means to maintain auspiciousness and ward off disruptive influences.

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

While primarily technical, it supports bhakti by showing that devotion is expressed through regulated offerings and mantra-recitation; reverence to the divine (here invoked as Śivā with svāhā) is enacted through consistent daily practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application of mantra (mantra-prayoga), timing (muhūrta/niyama—midnight), and location rules (deśa-niyama—catuṣpatha crossroads) are highlighted, reflecting technical dharma/kalpa-style procedure within the Narada Purana’s Vedanga-oriented section.