Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

तुलसीदलं सुवर्णेन कारयित्वा सुलक्षणम् । हैमीं च प्रतिमां कृत्वा पूजयित्वा विधानतः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

tulasīdalaṃ suvarṇena kārayitvā sulakṣaṇam | haimīṃ ca pratimāṃ kṛtvā pūjayitvā vidhānataḥ || 21 ||

Translation

Après avoir façonné en or un emblème de feuille de Tulasī, de bon augure et bien formé, et après avoir réalisé aussi une image d’or, qu’on l’adore selon les rites prescrits.

Word by Word

• तुलसी-दलम्: a tulasī leaf
• तुलसी-दलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• सुवर्णेन: with gold
• सुवर्णेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• कारयित्वा: having had (it) made
• कारयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (causative) + क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having caused to be made’

• सु-लक्षणम्: well-marked/auspicious
• सु-लक्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• हैमीम्: golden
• हैमीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘प्रतिमाम्’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• प्रतिमाम्: image/idol
• प्रतिमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having made’

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having worshipped’

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed method
• विधानतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण — ‘according to rule’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a didactic, injunctional style within the dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi

FAQs

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

It elevates Tulasī-associated worship into a formal, rule-governed (vidhi) devotional act, emphasizing auspicious preparation and reverent icon-veneration as a means of cultivating bhakti.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through tangible seva—crafting sacred emblems and a pratimā and worshipping them correctly—showing devotion as disciplined, intentional, and scripture-aligned practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied by “vidhānataḥ,” pointing to correct injunction-based performance—how worship is to be done according to prescribed rules.