Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

The Exposition of the Saptamī Vow Observed Across Twelve Months

Saptamī-vrata-prakāśana

Devanagari script

आग्नेयं च न्यसेन्पत्रे गंधर्वौ कृतकारकौ । दक्षिणे च न्यसेत्पत्रे तथैव राक्षसद्वयम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

āgneyaṃ ca nyasenpatre gaṃdharvau kṛtakārakau | dakṣiṇe ca nyasetpatre tathaiva rākṣasadvayam || 4 ||

Translation

Sur le pétale du sud-est (direction Āgneya), qu’on dépose les deux Gandharvas, Kṛta et Kāraka, figurés en images ; et de même, sur le pétale du sud, qu’on place la paire de Rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• आग्नेयम्: (the) southeast (direction/sector)
• आग्नेयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (दिशा/स्थान-नाम)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु; √न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पत्रे: on the petal
• पत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गन्धर्वौ: two Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वौ: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• कृतकारकौ: having ‘kṛta-kāraka’ (epithet)
• कृतकारकौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of गन्धर्वौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृतं कारकं ययोः/कृतकारक-विशेषण)

• दक्षिणे: in the south
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (दिशा)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु; √न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पत्रे: on the petal
• पत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• राक्षसद्वयम्: a pair of Rākṣasas
• राक्षसद्वयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be placed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (राक्षसानां द्वयम्)

Speaker

Narada (teaching Sanatkumara and the sages in an instructional/ritual sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Saptamī-vrata (continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Agni (direction: Āgneya)
• Gandharvas (Kṛta, Kāraka)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined ritual order (vinyāsa) by assigning specific beings to specific directions, reflecting the idea that sacred action succeeds when performed with correct spatial and procedural alignment.

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

While primarily procedural, it supports bhakti by emphasizing careful, reverent execution of worship—devotion expressed through precise offerings and orderly placement in a consecrated space.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied Kalpa (ritual procedure) and directional doctrine (dik-vibhāga) used in altar/offerings arrangement, showing how ritual science governs placement and sequence.