Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

यस्यैकाध्यायपठनाद्वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् । अध्यायद्वयपाठेन राजसूयफलं तथा ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

yasyaikādhyāyapaṭhanādvājimedhaphalaṃ labhet | adhyāyadvayapāṭhena rājasūyaphalaṃ tathā || 40 ||

Translation

By reciting a single chapter of this Purāṇa, one gains the merit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice; and by reciting two chapters, one likewise gains the merit of the Rājasūya sacrifice.

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (relative pronoun)

• एक: one
• एक: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• अध्याय: chapter
• अध्याय: सम्बन्ध/निर्देश (Specifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• पठनात्: from (the act of) recitation/reading
• पठनात्: अपादान (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाजिमेध: Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• वाजिमेध: सम्बन्ध (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• फलम्: the fruit/result (of Aśvamedha)
• फलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: वाजिमेधस्य फलम्

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अध्याय: chapter
• अध्याय: सम्बन्ध/निर्देश (Specifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• द्वय: two
• द्वय: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वय (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• पाठेन: by the recitation of two chapters
• पाठेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अध्यायद्वयस्य पाठेन

• राजसूय: Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice)
• राजसूय: सम्बन्ध (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• फलम्: the fruit/result (of Rājasūya)
• फलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: राजसूयस्य फलम्

• तथा: likewise/so
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

Speaker

Suta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) describing the phala-śruti of the Narada Purana

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha
• Rājasūya

FAQs

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

It is a phala-śruti verse asserting that Purāṇa-recitation (adhyāya-pāṭha) can confer the same spiritual merit traditionally attributed to major Vedic royal sacrifices, emphasizing accessible dharma through śravaṇa and pāṭha.

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

By elevating recitation of sacred narrative to the level of grand sacrifices, the verse supports a bhakti-oriented approach where hearing/reading sacred texts becomes a primary, widely available means of accruing merit and turning the mind toward the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It indirectly highlights ritual science (Kalpa) by referencing Aśvamedha and Rājasūya, while teaching that Purāṇic recitation can substitute for complex śrauta performance in terms of proclaimed merit.