Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

तृतीयवर्षे चौलं च पंचमे षष्टसम्मिते । सत्पमे चाष्टमे वापि कुर्याद् गृह्योक्तमार्गतः ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tṛtīyavarṣe caulaṃ ca paṃcame ṣaṣṭasammite | satpame cāṣṭame vāpi kuryād gṛhyoktamārgataḥ || 9 ||

Translation

La troisième année, on doit accomplir le rite de la coupe des cheveux (cūḍākaraṇa). À défaut, on peut le faire la cinquième, la sixième, voire la septième ou la huitième année, selon la procédure enseignée dans les Gṛhya-sūtra.

Word by Word

• तृतीयवर्षे: in the third year
• तृतीयवर्षे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय-वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तृतीयस्य वर्षस्य इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (locative: in the third year)

• चौलम्: tonsure ceremony
• चौलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (object)

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

• पञ्चमे: in the fifth (year)
• पञ्चमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्) locative: in the fifth (year)

• षष्ठसम्मिते: in the sixth (year)
• षष्ठसम्मिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ-सम्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठेन सम्मितः इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (equal to the sixth; i.e., sixth) (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्)

• सप्तमे: in the seventh (year)
• सप्तमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्) locative: in the seventh (year)

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

• अष्टमे: in the eighth (year)
• अष्टमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (वर्षे इति अध्याहृतम्) locative: in the eighth (year)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (should do)

• गृह्योक्तमार्गतः: according to the Gṛhya-prescribed method
• गृह्योक्तमार्गतः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrumental means)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गृह्य-उक्त-मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; गृह्ये उक्तः मार्गः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (according to the path stated in the Gṛhya-sūtras)

Speaker

Sage Narada (teaching in a dharma/saṃskāra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It situates cūḍākaraṇa (chaula) within dharma as a purificatory saṃskāra, emphasizing that personal rites should be performed at appropriate ages and in conformity with authoritative Gṛhya procedure.

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

Indirectly: by insisting on Gṛhya-based saṃskāras, it supports a life ordered by dharma—traditionally regarded as a foundation for steady worship and later Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (Vedāṅga)—specifically Gṛhya-sūtra ritual methodology—by prescribing permissible timings and directing the performer to follow the Gṛhya-text procedure.