Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

जलेन वस्त्रपूतेन यः स्नापयति माधवम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुना सह मोदते ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

jalena vastrapūtena yaḥ snāpayati mādhavam | sarvapāpavinirmukto viṣṇunā saha modate || 42 ||

Translation

Whoever bathes Mādhava with water purified by filtering it through cloth is freed from all sins and rejoices together with Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• जलेन: with water
• जलेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• वस्त्र-पूतेन: filtered through cloth
• वस्त्र-पूतेन: विशेषण (of जलेन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूत (कृदन्त; √पू पवने/पूयते इति, past participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वस्त्रेण पूतम् = cloth-filtered)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• स्नापयति: bathes (causes to be bathed)
• स्नापयति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: causes to bathe)

• माधवम्: Mādhava (Vishnu)
• माधवम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• सर्व-पाप-विनिर्मुक्तः: freed from all sins
• सर्व-पाप-विनिर्मुक्तः: विशेषण (of यः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विनिर्मुक्त (कृदन्त; √मुच् धातु, past participle with vi-nir)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (सर्वपापेभ्यः विनिर्मुक्तः) तत्पुरुष-समासः; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• विष्णुना: with Vishnu
• विष्णुना: सहकर्ता/सहयोग (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/सह), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: सह (Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/सह-शब्दः (particle indicating accompaniment)

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Purva Bhaga dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Madhava
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a simple, careful act of worship—bathing Mādhava with purified water—has strong purifying power, leading to freedom from sin and closeness to Viṣṇu.

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

Bhakti is shown as accessible and action-oriented: sincere service (abhisheka) offered with purity of means brings the devotee into joyful communion with Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual purity and procedure (kalpa-style practical discipline): using vastra-pūta (cloth-filtered) water reflects attention to śauca (cleanliness) in devotional rites.