Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

Daśamī-vrata: Observances for the Bright Tenth Day Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

पूर्वदिक्षु शमीं विप्र गत्वा तन्मूलजां मृदम् । गृहीत्वा स्वगृहं प्राप्य गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

pūrvadikṣu śamīṃ vipra gatvā tanmūlajāṃ mṛdam | gṛhītvā svagṛhaṃ prāpya gītavāditraniḥsvanaiḥ || 26 ||

Translation

Ô brāhmaṇa, étant allé vers l’est jusqu’à l’arbre śamī et ayant pris la terre à sa racine, qu’il retourne chez lui au son des chants et des instruments de musique.

Word by Word

• पूर्व-दिक्षु: in the eastern directions
• पूर्व-दिक्षु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (पूर्वाः दिशः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शमीम्: the śamī tree
• शमीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), √गम्

• तत्-मूल-जाम्: born from its root (root-origin)
• तत्-मूल-जाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + मूल + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तस्य मूलात् जाता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘मृदम्’ (by gender agreement in sense; expected ‘मृदम्’ neuter—here adjective in feminine aligns with implied ‘मृत्तिकाम्’)

• मृदम्: clay/earth
• मृदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद्/मृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग रूपभेद; द्वितीया, एकवचन; here ‘mṛdam’ as accusative singular (clay/earth)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), √ग्रह्

• स्व-गृहम्: one’s own house
• स्व-गृहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य गृहः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-तुल्य ल्यप् (absolutive), √आप् with उपसर्ग प्र

• गीत-वादित्र-निःस्वनैः: with the sounds of singing and instruments
• गीत-वादित्र-निःस्वनैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत + वादित्र + निःस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक समास (गीतं च वादित्रं च—associated sounds); तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a ritual context; addressed to a vipra)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Shami

FAQs

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

It emphasizes a dharmic ritual act: collecting sanctified earth from the śamī tree (an auspicious, protective tree) in the east and bringing it home in a celebratory, sattvic manner—signifying purity, auspiciousness, and the successful acquisition of ritual substance for a vow or rite.

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

While not explicitly naming Vishnu-bhakti here, the verse reflects bhakti-style ritual culture: devotional atmosphere (gīta and vāditra), reverence for sacred symbols in nature, and bringing consecrated materials home as part of worshipful observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual praxis aligned with Kalpa (procedural rules) and a directional prescription associated with Jyotiṣa/auspicious orientation—going east and returning with ceremonial sounds, indicating attention to time-direction-rite coordination.