Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

दलाग्रेषु केशवादीन्दिक्पालांस्तदनंतरम् । तदस्त्राणि च सम्पूज्य गजानष्टौ समर्चयेत् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

dalāgreṣu keśavādīndikpālāṃstadanaṃtaram | tadastrāṇi ca sampūjya gajānaṣṭau samarcayet || 12 ||

Translation

Aux extrémités des pétales, ensuite qu’on vénère Keśava et les autres divinités, ainsi que les gardiens des directions (Dikpālas). Après avoir honoré comme il se doit leurs armes divines, qu’on adore alors les huit éléphants des directions.

Word by Word

• दलाग्रेषु: on the tips of the petals
• दलाग्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समास: दलस्य अग्रे (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• केशव-आदीन्: Keśava and others
• केशव-आदीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ (आदिन्) सहितः—‘केशव आदि’ = Keśava and others

• दिक्पालान्: guardians of the directions
• दिक्पालान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: दिशां पालाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तत्: then
• तत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण ‘तत्’ = then/thereafter (particle)

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• तत्-अस्त्राणि: those weapons
• तत्-अस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: तानि अस्त्राणि (कर्मधारय/विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव)

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

• सम्पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having fully worshipped’

• गजान्: elephants
• गजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सङ्ख्यावाचक-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (गजान् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्)

• समर्चयेत्: should worship/revere
• समर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Vishnu)
• Dikpālas (Guardians of the Directions)
• Aṣṭa-gaja (Eight directional elephants)

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the ritual space by invoking Vishnu (Keśava), the directional guardians, their protective powers (astrāṇi), and the cosmic supports symbolized by the eight directional elephants—establishing completeness and protection for the rite.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as orderly, reverent worship (arcana) centered on Keśava, expanding outward to the cosmic attendants (Dikpālas) and their powers—showing devotion as both love and disciplined ritual attention.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical knowledge: mandala/padma (lotus) placement, directional theology (dik-vidhāna), and sequential worship (krama) including astra-pūjā—features typical of applied liturgy and associated technical sciences.