Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

एवं ध्यात्वा जपेद्वर्णं लक्षं मत्री दशांशतः । घृताक्तैः पायसैर्हुत्वा यजनं पूर्ववञ्चरेत् ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ dhyātvā japedvarṇaṃ lakṣaṃ matrī daśāṃśataḥ | ghṛtāktaiḥ pāyasairhutvā yajanaṃ pūrvavañcaret || 86 ||

Translation

Thus having meditated, the mantra-practitioner should repeat the sacred syllable one hundred thousand times; and as one-tenth of that, he should offer oblations in the homa with pāyasa (rice-milk) anointed with ghee. In this way he should perform the rite exactly according to the procedure taught earlier.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: प्रकार (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: विधेयक्रिया (Main predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• वर्णम्: the syllable/letter
• वर्णम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• लक्षम्: one lakh (100,000)
• लक्षम्: परिमाण (Measure/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• मत्री: the mantra (as feminine term)
• मत्री: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); मन्त्रिणी/मातृका-प्रयोगः (as given reading)

• दशांशतः: by one-tenth (as a tithe)
• दशांशतः: प्रकार (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), अर्थः—‘by a tenth/at the rate of one-tenth’

• घृताक्तैः: smeared with ghee
• घृताक्तैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत + अक्त (कृदन्त, √अञ्ज्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (घृतेन अक्त), बहुवचन (plural), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), पुं/नपुंसक-समाना रूप (agreeing with pāyasaiḥ)

• पायसैः: with rice-pudding offerings
• पायसैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• हुत्वा: having offered (into fire)
• हुत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• यजनम्: the sacrifice/ritual worship
• यजनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: प्रकार (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), उपमान/रीति—‘as before’

• आचरेत्: should perform/practice
• आचरेत्: विधेयक्रिया (Main predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Vedanga/ritual-technical teaching flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches a complete mantra-sādhana cycle: meditation (dhyāna), disciplined repetition (japa), and ritual sealing of the practice through homa as a proportional offering (daśāṁśa).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as focused remembrance through dhyāna and japa, followed by a reverential act of offering (homa), showing devotion as both inner absorption and outward worship done by rule.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical discipline: prescribed numerical counts (lakṣa and daśāṁśa), correct homa materials (ghṛta, pāyasa), and adherence to procedure (pūrvavat), aligning with Vedanga-style precision in rites.