Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

क्षीरेणाढकमानेन स्नापयेद्यस्त्रिविक्तमम् । नमस्त्रिविक्तमायेति पूजयेद्भक्तिसंयुतः ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

kṣīreṇāḍhakamānena snāpayedyastriviktamam | namastriviktamāyeti pūjayedbhaktisaṃyutaḥ || 53 ||

Translation

Whoever bathes Trivikrama with one āḍhaka measure of milk and, endowed with devotion, worships Him while uttering the mantra “Namah Trivikrāmāya” (“Obeisance to Trivikrama”), becomes spiritually fulfilled.

Word by Word

• क्षीरेण: with milk
• क्षीरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with milk)

• आढक-मानेन: by the measure of one āḍhaka
• आढक-मानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आढक (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): ‘आढकस्य मानम्’ = a measure of one āḍhaka; Instrumental singular

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to bathe)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative: ‘should cause to bathe’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun ‘who’

• त्रिविक्तमम्: Triviktama (the deity)
• त्रिविक्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिविक्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; proper name/title (object of worship)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात); indeclinable interjection used with dative/for salutation

• त्रिविक्तमाय: to Triviktama
• त्रिविक्तमाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिविक्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular ‘to Triviktama’

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-marker (इति-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotative particle marking the utterance

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should worship’

• भक्ति-संयुतः: endowed with devotion
• भक्ति-संयुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + सं-युत (कृदन्त, युज् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘भक्त्या संयुतः’ = endowed with devotion; agrees with implied ‘सः/यः’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Traivikrama-vrata (implied by context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Trivikrama
• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere devotion expressed through abhiṣeka (ritual bathing) and mantra-based worship of Trivikrama is a direct means of pleasing Vishnu and gaining spiritual merit.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical and embodied: the devotee offers a pure substance (milk), performs respectful service, and worships with a simple, heartfelt salutation—“namo…”.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual measurement and procedure are implied (use of the unit āḍhaka and the act of snāpana/abhiṣeka), reflecting applied Kalpa (ritual discipline) rather than grammar or astrology.