Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 95

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

मूर्ध्नि भाले दृशोः श्रोत्रे गंडयुग्मे सनासिके । आस्ये दोःसंधियुगले स्तनहृन्नाभिषु क्रमात् ॥ ९५ ॥

Transliteration

mūrdhni bhāle dṛśoḥ śrotre gaṃḍayugme sanāsike | āsye doḥsaṃdhiyugale stanahṛnnābhiṣu kramāt || 95 ||

Translation

In due order—on the crown of the head, on the forehead, on the eyes, on the ears, on both cheeks together with the nose; then on the mouth; on the pair of arm-joints; and thereafter on the breasts, the heart, and the navel.

Word by Word

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head/crown
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• भाले: on the forehead
• भाले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• दृशोः: in the two eyes
• दृशोः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (Genitive/Locative), द्विवचन; प्रायः सप्तमी-द्विवचनार्थे—“in/at the two eyes”

• श्रोत्रे: in/on the ear
• श्रोत्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• गण्ड-युग्मे: on the pair of cheeks
• गण्ड-युग्मे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘गण्डयोः युग्मम्’ = pair of cheeks

• स-नासिके: with the nose
• स-नासिके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (प्रातिपदिक; सहार्थक) + नासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः/उपपदसमासः—‘नासिकया सह’ = “together with the nose” (locative: at/with the nose region)

• आस्ये: in the mouth
• आस्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• दोः-सन्धि-युगले: on the pair of arm-joints
• दोः-सन्धि-युगले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष्/दोः (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + युगल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘दोः-सन्धीनां युगलम्’ = pair of arm-joints (shoulders/elbows contextually)

• स्तन-हृत्-नाभिषु: on the breasts, heart, and navel
• स्तन-हृत्-नाभिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (नाभि) / नपुंसक (स्तन) / नपुंसक (हृद् as hṛt), सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—स्तने च हृदि च नाभौ च; “in/on the breasts, heart, and navel (regions)”

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त); क्रियाविशेषणम्—“in order/step by step”

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a Vedanga/ritual-technical context, traditionally in dialogue framed with Sanatkumara lineage)

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 an ordered internalization of sacred practice by mapping mantra/ritual attention onto specific bodily loci, turning the body into a disciplined field for dharma and mantra-sadhana.

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

Though technical, the ordered placement supports bhakti by stabilizing mind and senses; devotion becomes embodied through regulated remembrance and reverent ritual attention.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedanga-style procedural precision (especially Śikṣā/ritual application): a kramāt (sequential) method for placing or contemplating mantra on prescribed body-points.