Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

भूर्जेऽष्टगन्धैः संलिख्य पूजयेदुक्तवर्त्मना । षट्कोणेषु दलार्काब्जान्यावेष्टवृत्तयुग्मतः ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

bhūrje'ṣṭagandhaiḥ saṃlikhya pūjayeduktavartmanā | ṣaṭkoṇeṣu dalārkābjānyāveṣṭavṛttayugmataḥ || 36 ||

Translation

Having inscribed it on birch-bark (bhūrja) with the fragrant eightfold paste (aṣṭagandha), one should worship it according to the procedure already taught; and within the six triangles one should draw the petalled sun-lotus, enclosed by a pair of concentric circles.

Word by Word

• भूर्जे: on birch-bark
• भूर्जे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूर्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative singular

• अष्टगन्धैः: with the eight perfumes/fragrances
• अष्टगन्धैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक: अष्ट + गन्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• संलिख्य: having inscribed
• संलिख्य: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; having inscribed/written

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; should worship

• उक्तवर्त्मना: by the stated procedure
• उक्तवर्त्मना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्तवर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: उक्त + वर्त्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular; ‘by the prescribed method/path’

• षट्कोणेषु: in the six angles/hexagonal corners
• षट्कोणेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्कोण (प्रातिपदिक: षट् + कोण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; locative plural

• दल: petals
• दल: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; (as compound member) petals

• अर्क: sun
• अर्क: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound member); sun

• अब्जानि: lotuses
• अब्जानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; nominative/accusative plural

• आवेष्ट: encircling
• आवेष्ट: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) कृदन्त-प्रयोग; ‘wrapping/encircling’ as compound member

• वृत्त: circle
• वृत्त: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound member); circle

• युग्मतः: in pairs; twofold
• युग्मतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘in pairs/twofold’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical/ritual exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship is not only devotional but also precise: the sanctity of a rite is supported by correct materials (bhūrja), consecrating substances (aṣṭagandha), and an accurately formed sacred diagram (ṣaṭkoṇa, lotus, circles).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence—inscribing and worshipping the sacred form exactly “by the stated method,” showing devotion through careful, rule-guided service (sevā) rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical know-how: preparing a worship-support (patra), applying consecrated fragrant substances (aṣṭagandha), and constructing a yantra-like geometry (triangles, lotus, concentric circles) used in mantra-based worship.