Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

गुर्वर्थमाहरेन्नित्यं कल्ये कल्ये मुनीश्वर । यज्ञोपवीतमजिनं दंडं च मुनिसत्तम ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

gurvarthamāharennityaṃ kalye kalye munīśvara | yajñopavītamajinaṃ daṃḍaṃ ca munisattama || 23 ||

Translation

Ô seigneur parmi les sages, chaque matin sans jamais faillir, il doit apporter chaque jour, pour le bien de son maître, le cordon sacré (yajñopavīta), la peau de daim et le bâton du mendiant, ô meilleur des ascètes.

Word by Word

• गुरु-अर्थम्: for the teacher’s sake
• गुरु-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय, प्रयोजन (purpose)

• आहरेत्: should bring
• आहरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) + आ
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative), नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘always’

• कल्ये: in the morning
• कल्ये: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-सप्तमी (locative used adverbially), एकवचन; ‘in the morning’

• कल्ये: each morning
• कल्ये: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति; कालवाचक-सप्तमी, एकवचन; distributive ‘each morning’

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (मुनिः ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• यज्ञ-उपवीतम्: sacred thread
• यज्ञ-उपवीतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अजिनम्: deerskin (garment)
• अजिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दण्डम्: staff
• दण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मुनि-सत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

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

It emphasizes guru-sevā as a daily sādhanā: honoring the teacher and maintaining the visible disciplines of the Vedic student (yajñopavīta, ajina, daṇḍa) that support purity, restraint, and study.

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

Though framed as student-dharma, it supports bhakti by cultivating humility, obedience, and service—qualities that mature into devoted service to the Lord through reverence for the guru.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to ritual discipline and daily regimen connected with Vedic study—especially the maintenance of yajñopavīta and the brahmacārin’s markers, which underpin correct practice of śrauta/smārta duties taught alongside Vedāṅgas.