Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 115

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

शक्तयष्टगंधं संपिष्य कन्यया शिशिरे जले । तेन वै तिलकं भाले धारयन्वशयेज्जगत् ॥ ११५ ॥

Transliteration

śaktayaṣṭagaṃdhaṃ saṃpiṣya kanyayā śiśire jale | tena vai tilakaṃ bhāle dhārayanvaśayejjagat || 115 ||

Translation

Man lasse ein jungfräuliches Mädchen die duftende Substanz namens śaktayaṣṭa-gandha in kühlem Wasser zerreiben und trage sie als Tilaka auf der Stirn; wer dieses Tilaka trägt, soll die Welt unter seinen Einfluss bringen.

Word by Word

• शक्तयष्ट-गन्धम्: śaktayaṣṭi fragrance/paste
• शक्तयष्ट-गन्धम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्तयष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शक्तयष्टेः गन्धः = fragrance/paste of śaktayaṣṭi)

• संपिष्य: having ground/pounded
• संपिष्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पिष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावेन; धातु: √पिष् (पीडने/मर्दने) उपसर्ग: सम्

• कन्यया: by a maiden
• कन्यया: करण/सहकर्ता (Instrument/Agent-associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शिशिरे: in cool (water)
• शिशिरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिशिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; adjective used substantively with जले

• जले: in water
• जले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तेन: with that
• तेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental pronoun

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध-निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• तिलकम्: tilaka mark
• तिलकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भाले: on the forehead
• भाले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• धारयन्: wearing/placing
• धारयन्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• वशयेत्: should subdue
• वशयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense implied by usage (to bring under control)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical/ritual teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It presents a ritual prayoga where a specific fragrant paste, prepared under stated conditions, is applied as tilaka—indicating the Purana’s interest in technical disciplines and ritual efficacy connected to bodily marks (saṃskāra-like external observances).

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

This verse is more prayoga-oriented than explicitly bhakti-oriented; however, tilaka is widely associated with devotional identity and sacred observance, and the passage reflects how external disciplines can accompany religious life in the Narada Purana’s technical sections.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights practical ritual procedure (prayoga-vidhi): material selection (gandha), method (grinding into paste), conditions (cool water), and application site (forehead tilaka), reflecting technical instruction rather than narrative theology.