Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

गंधाद्यैर्मंडलं कृत्वा ध्यात्वा देवं जनार्दनम् । स्नायान्मंत्रान्स्मरन्पुण्यांस्तीर्थानि च विरिंचिज ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃdhādyairmaṃḍalaṃ kṛtvā dhyātvā devaṃ janārdanam | snāyānmaṃtrānsmaranpuṇyāṃstīrthāni ca viriṃcija || 32 ||

Translation

Ayant tracé un cercle sacré avec des parfums et d’autres substances de bon augure, et médité sur le Seigneur Janārdana, qu’on se baigne en se souvenant des mantras et des tīrthas saints — ô toi né de Brahmā.

Word by Word

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3rd), बहुवचन (pl.); तत्पुरुषः: गन्धः आदिः येषां तैः = ‘with perfumes etc.’

• मण्डलम्: a circle/diagram
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having made’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated on
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having meditated’

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (sg.); देवस्य विशेषण-नाम

• स्नायात्: should bathe
• स्नायात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद; ‘should bathe’

• मन्त्रान्: mantras
• मन्त्रान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), बहुवचन (pl.)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1st), एकवचन (sg.); कर्तरि: ‘remembering’

• पुण्यान्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषणम्—तीर्थानि (पाठे लिङ्ग-साम्ये ‘पुण्यानि’ अपेक्षितम्; छन्दो/पाठभेदेन ‘पुण्यांस्तीर्‍थानि’ संधि)

• तीर्थानि: sacred fords/holy places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), बहुवचन (pl.)

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

• विरिञ्चिज: O Viriñci (Brahmā)
• विरिञ्चिज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरिञ्चि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Voc. 8th), एकवचन (sg.); ‘हे विरिञ्चे’ (ब्रह्मन्)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Brahma (Virinchi)

FAQs

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

It teaches a compact purification rite: create an auspicious ritual space (maṇḍala), fix the mind in Viṣṇu (Janārdana) through dhyāna, and sanctify the bath by mantra-remembrance and tīrtha-smaraṇa—turning a physical act into a devotional and merit-bearing practice.

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

Bhakti is expressed as remembrance-centered practice: meditating on Janārdana and continuously smaran (remembering) mantras and holy places while bathing, so the ritual becomes God-oriented rather than merely external.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual discipline (kalpa-prayoga style): preparing a maṇḍala with auspicious substances, coordinating mantra-smaraṇa with snāna, and using tīrtha-smaraṇa as a sanctioned method of sacralizing daily or occasional rites.