Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 145

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वैवं प्रजपेद्वर्णलक्षं मंत्री दशांशतः । मध्वाक्तैः पायसैर्हुत्वा रामपीठे प्रपूजयेत ॥ १४५ ॥

Transliteration

dhyātvaivaṃ prajapedvarṇalakṣaṃ maṃtrī daśāṃśataḥ | madhvāktaiḥ pāyasairhutvā rāmapīṭhe prapūjayeta || 145 ||

Translation

Après avoir médité ainsi, le pratiquant doit réciter le mantra jusqu’à cent mille syllabes ; puis, offrant le dixième en oblations (homa) de pāyasa mêlé de miel, il doit adorer comme il se doit (le Seigneur) sur le Rāma-pīṭha, le siège de Rāma.

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्या (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having meditated'

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रजपेत्: should recite
• प्रजपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वर्ण-लक्षम्: a hundred-thousand (count) of syllables
• वर्ण-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'a lakh of syllables/letters'

• मन्त्री: the mantra-practitioner
• मन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agent noun 'one who uses mantra'

• दशांशतः: as one-tenth (thereof)
• दशांशतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय; परिमाण/विभागवाचक (adverb of proportion): 'as a tenth'

• मधु-आक्तैः: smeared with honey
• मधु-आक्तैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, अञ्ज्/अक्त + क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'smeared with honey'

• पायसैः: with rice-pudding offerings
• पायसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• हुत्वा: having offered
• हुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having offered (into fire)'

• राम-पीठे: on Rāma’s altar
• राम-पीठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'on/at Rāma’s pedestal/altar'

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure in the technical/vidhi context to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rama

FAQs

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

It presents a complete sādhana sequence—dhyāna (meditation), varṇa-lakṣa japa (disciplined mantra-recitation), daśāṁśa homa (a tenth-part oblation), and final worship—showing how inner focus is sealed by sacrificial offering and formal devotion.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as structured worship of Rāma: remembrance (dhyāna), repeated divine name/mantra (japa), and reverential offering (homa), culminating in pūjā on the Rāma-pīṭha—devotion enacted through both heart and rite.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical discipline: counting mantra-recitation by syllables (varṇa), the daśāṁśa rule for homa after japa, and the specified havis (pāyasa with honey), reflecting procedural precision typical of Kalpa-oriented practice.