Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 89

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

आकाशे च क्षिपेद्वारि वारिस्थो दक्षघिणामुखः । पितॄणां स्थानमाकाशं दक्षिणादिक् तथैव च ॥ ८९ ॥

Transliteration

ākāśe ca kṣipedvāri vāristho dakṣaghiṇāmukhaḥ | pitṝṇāṃ sthānamākāśaṃ dakṣiṇādik tathaiva ca || 89 ||

Translation

Debout dans l’eau et tourné vers le sud, qu’on projette l’eau d’offrande vers le ciel; car le séjour des Pitṛs (ancêtres) est le firmament, et leur direction est bien le sud.

Word by Word

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case, Locative), एकवचन

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

• क्षिपेत्: should throw
• क्षिपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case, Accusative), एकवचन

• वारि-स्थः: standing in water
• वारि-स्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (‘वारिणि स्थितः’ = standing in water)

• दक्ष-घिणा-मुखः: facing south
• दक्ष-घिणा-मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + घिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः (अर्थतः ‘दक्षिणाभिमुखः’ = facing south; पाठे ‘घिणा’ दुर्लभ/पाठभेदसम्भव)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case, Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्थानम्: place/abode
• स्थानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• आकाशम्: the sky
• आकाशम्: Pradhāna/Predicate complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; ‘स्थानम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय (predicate)

• दक्षिण-आदिक्: beginning with the south (direction)
• दक्षिण-आदिक्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? (दिक्-शब्दस्य विशेषणरूपेण), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘दक्षिणादिः’ = beginning with south (southern etc.)

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

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

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma/ritual instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

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

It links ancestral offerings (tarpaṇa) to cosmic orientation: the Pitṛs are approached through the sky as their locus, and the south as their sacred direction, making the act both devotional and cosmologically aligned.

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

While primarily ritual, it supports bhakti through gratitude and reverence—honoring one’s lineage and sustaining dharmic duties, which are traditionally regarded as supportive practices for steadiness in devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and dik-nirṇaya (directional rule): the instruction specifies posture (standing in water), orientation (facing south), and the method of offering (casting water toward the sky).