Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 172

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

शत्रोर्नक्षत्रवृक्षाग्नौ तत्समिद्धिस्तु होमतः । सर्षपाज्यप्लुताभिस्ते प्रणमंत्येव पादयोः ॥ १७२ ॥

Transliteration

śatrornakṣatravṛkṣāgnau tatsamiddhistu homataḥ | sarṣapājyaplutābhiste praṇamaṃtyeva pādayoḥ || 172 ||

Translation

In dem Feuer, das mit dem dem Nakṣatra des Feindes zugeordneten heiligen Holz entzündet wurde, soll man das Homa mit dem passenden Brennholz vollziehen. Mit Opfergaben, getränkt in Senfsamen und Ghee, werden die Gegner wahrlich zu deinen Füßen niederfallen.

Word by Word

• शत्रोः: of the enemy
• शत्रोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• नक्षत्र-वृक्ष-अग्नौ: in the fire (made) of the nakṣatra-tree
• नक्षत्र-वृक्ष-अग्नौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र + वृक्ष + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नक्षत्रवृक्षस्य अग्निः = fire of the nakṣatra-tree); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; अत्र ‘समिद्धिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• समिद्धिः: kindling/fuel (for the fire)
• समिद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• होमतः: by the homa (rite)
• होमतः: Hetu/Instrumental sense (हेतु/उपाय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतं; हेत्वर्थ/उपायवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (by means of homa)

• सर्षप-आज्य-प्लुताभिः: with (offerings) soaked with mustard and ghee
• सर्षप-आज्य-प्लुताभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्षप + आज्य + प्लुत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्षपाज्येन प्लुता = sprinkled/soaked with mustard and ghee); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘they’ (enemies/people)

• प्रणमन्ति: bow down
• प्रणमन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात

• पादयोः: at (your) feet
• पादयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-द्विवचन (Locative/Genitive dual); अत्र अधिकरणे ‘at the feet’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/ritual-technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It presents a Vedanga-style ritual upāya: aligning homa materials with nakṣatra correspondences and specific oblations to pacify opposition and bring adversaries into submission.

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

Bhakti is not explicit here; the verse belongs to a technical/ritual strand where disciplined Vedic procedure is emphasized. In the Purāṇic frame, such rites are ideally performed with reverence and self-control rather than malice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights nakṣatra-based correspondences (Jyotiṣa/Vedic astrology) applied to ritual action (Kalpa): selecting nakṣatra-linked wood for the fire and using sarṣapa and ājya as specified homa offerings.