Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 103

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

मंत्रो द्वौ च समाख्यातौ मुन्याद्यर्चादि पूर्ववत् । वह्निः शेषान्वितश्चैव चंद्रभूषितमस्तकः ॥ १०३ ॥

Transliteration

maṃtro dvau ca samākhyātau munyādyarcādi pūrvavat | vahniḥ śeṣānvitaścaiva caṃdrabhūṣitamastakaḥ || 103 ||

Translation

Ainsi sont également proclamés deux mantras ; et le culte, commençant par les sages (munis) et le reste, doit être accompli comme auparavant. (La divinité à contempler) est Agni, accompagné de Śeṣa, la tête ornée de la lune.

Word by Word

• मन्त्रौ: two mantras
• मन्त्रौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

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

• समाख्यातौ: have been explained
• समाख्यातौ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु) → समाख्यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘declared/expounded’

• मुनि-आदि-अर्च-आदि: the (items) beginning with sage etc. and worship etc.
• मुनि-आदि-अर्च-आदि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अर्च (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व; ‘sage etc., worship etc.’ (elliptic set)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• वह्निः: Agni (fire)
• वह्निः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शेष-अन्वितः: accompanied by the rest
• शेष-अन्वितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘accompanied by the remainder’

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• चन्द्र-भूषित-मस्तकः: one whose head is adorned with the moon
• चन्द्र-भूषित-मस्तकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि ‘whose head is adorned with the moon’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the technical/ritual section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Shesha
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined continuity in sādhana: once the mantra-vidhi is taught, the worship sequence (munyādi-arcana) should be followed consistently, while fixing the mind on a precise divine form for effective mantra-japa and dhyāna.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through regulated arcana—devotion guided by śāstra—where loving worship is strengthened by correct mantra usage and steady contemplation of the deity’s attributes.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical instruction: mantra-prayoga (application of mantras), arcana-krama (order of worship), and dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (iconographic markers used for meditation), aligning with Vedāṅga-oriented procedural precision.