Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Explanation of Sandhyā and Related Daily Observances

Saṅdhyā-ādi Nitya-karma-Vidhi

Devanagari script

मूलाभिमन्त्रितमृदमादाय कटिदेशतः । विलिप्य पादपर्यन्तं क्षालयेत्तीर्थवारिणा ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

mūlābhimantritamṛdamādāya kaṭideśataḥ | vilipya pādaparyantaṃ kṣālayettīrthavāriṇā || 16 ||

Translation

Prenant de l’argile consacrée par le mūla-mantra (mantra racine), on l’enduit sur le corps depuis la taille jusqu’aux pieds, puis on la rince avec l’eau du tīrtha (gué sacré).

Word by Word

• मूलाभिमन्त्रितमृदम्: clay consecrated by (the) mūla-mantra
• मूलाभिमन्त्रितमृदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल-अभिमन्त्रित-मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain: मूलेन अभिमन्त्रिता मृद्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine; मृद्), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having taken’

• कटिदेशतः: from the waist region
• कटिदेशतः: अपादान (Apādāna/Point of separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटि-देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: कटेः देशः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विलिप्य: having smeared
• विलिप्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having smeared/applied’

• पादपर्यन्तम्: up to the feet
• पादपर्यन्तम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पाद-पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (पादं पर्यन्तम् → ‘up to the feet’), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable adverbial use)

• क्षालयेत्: should wash/cleanse
• क्षालयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तीर्थवारिणा: with sacred water
• तीर्थवारिणा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तीर्थस्य वारि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Tirtha

FAQs

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

It teaches śauca (ritual purity) as a mantra-supported act: consecrated earth removes impurity, and tīrtha-water completes purification, preparing the practitioner for sacred rites.

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

By prescribing careful purification before worship, it supports bhakti as disciplined service—approaching the Divine with bodily and ritual cleanliness as an offering of reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-style procedural ritual knowledge: the correct sequence (take consecrated clay, smear from waist to feet, wash with tīrtha-water) and the role of mantra in sanctifying materials.