Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Mantraśodhana, Dīkṣā-krama, Guru-Pādukā, Ajapā-Haṃsa, and Ṣaṭcakra-Kuṇḍalinī Sādhana

Devanagari script

शिष्टोदकेन वाचम्य परिधायांबरं शिशुः । गुरुं प्रणम्य विधिवत्संविशेत्पुरतः शुचिः ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

śiṣṭodakena vācamya paridhāyāṃbaraṃ śiśuḥ | guruṃ praṇamya vidhivatsaṃviśetpurataḥ śuciḥ || 36 ||

Translation

Having rinsed his mouth with purified water as prescribed and having donned his garment, the student—clean and disciplined—should bow to the Guru according to rule and then sit before him.

Word by Word

• शिष्टोदकेन: with purified/leftover (sanctified) water
• शिष्टोदकेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्ट-उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिष्टस्य उदकम्)

• वाचम्: speech
• वाचम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आचम्य: having sipped (water)
• आचम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘आचम्य’ = having sipped (water)

• परिधाय: having put on
• परिधाय: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘परिधाय’ = having put on/worn

• अम्बरम्: a garment
• अम्बरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• शिशुः: the boy/novice
• शिशुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• गुरुम्: the teacher
• गुरुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed (to)
• प्रणम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘प्रणम्य’ = having bowed

• विधिवत्: properly, according to rule
• विधिवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = according to rule

• संविशेत्: should enter/sit down
• संविशेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place) = in front

• शुचिः: pure, clean
• शुचिः: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies शिशुः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching the proper vidhi for students in Vedic disciplines)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

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

It teaches that learning is sacred: purity (śauca), humility (praṇāma), and correct procedure (vidhi) prepare the student to receive knowledge without ego or distraction.

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

By emphasizing reverence to the guru and inner-outer cleanliness, it supports bhakti-style surrender and respectful service, which are foundational attitudes for any devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights śikṣā/ācāra in Vedic study: performing ācamana, maintaining śauca, and observing proper guru-upasatti (approaching and sitting before the teacher) as part of disciplined learning.