Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

दशांशः कमलैर्होमो यजनं च षडर्णवत् । रामो ङेंन्तो धनुष्पाणिर्ङैतोंऽते वह्निसुंदरी ॥ ७२ ॥

Transliteration

daśāṃśaḥ kamalairhomo yajanaṃ ca ṣaḍarṇavat | rāmo ṅeṃnto dhanuṣpāṇirṅaitoṃ'te vahnisuṃdarī || 72 ||

Translation

Qu’on offre la dîme; qu’on accomplisse le homa avec des fleurs de lotus; et que le sacrifice soit exécuté selon la forme mantrique à six syllabes. « Rāma » se récite avec l’attaque nasale « ṅ »; « Dhanus-pāṇi » (celui qui tient l’arc) se prononce de même; et, à la fin, on énonce la forme « Vahni-sundarī », la Beauté du Feu sacré.

Word by Word

• दशांशः: one-tenth portion
• दशांशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दशस्य अंशः = one-tenth)

• कमलैः: with lotuses
• कमलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• होमः: fire-offering (homa)
• होमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यजनम्: worship/sacrifice
• यजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as coordinated item (ritual act)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• षडर्णवत्: as in the six-syllabled (formula)
• षडर्णवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (like/according to); षट्-अर्ण-वत् = ‘as in the six-syllabled (mantra)’

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ङेंन्तः: (mantric syllable) ṅeṃnta
• ङेंन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/मन्त्राङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ङेंन्त (मन्त्र-बीज/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्राङ्ग-बीज/वर्णसमूह (mantric syllable cluster); पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप

• धनुष्-पाणिः: bow-in-hand (one holding a bow)
• धनुष्-पाणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose hand holds a bow)

• ङैतों: (mantric syllable) ṅaitoṃ
• ङैतों: Visheshana (विशेषण/मन्त्राङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ङैतों (मन्त्र-बीज/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्राङ्ग-बीज/वर्णसमूह; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘at the end’

• वह्नि-सुन्दरी: the beautiful (one) of fire / fire-beauty
• वह्नि-सुन्दरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुन्दरी वह्निरूपा/वह्निसम्बद्धा)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/Vedanga-oriented context, likely to Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Agni

FAQs

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

It links inner merit (daśāṁśa/dāna) with outer ritual correctness (homa and yajña), stressing that spiritual efficacy depends on both offering and precise mantric/phonetic execution.

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

Bhakti here appears as disciplined worship—offering (lotus-homa) and reverent invocation of divine names (like Rāma) with correct recitation, showing devotion expressed through exact sacred practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Shiksha/Vyakarana-oriented guidance: attention to syllable-count (ṣaḍarṇavat) and specific phonetic markers involving the nasal ‘ṅ’, indicating how pronunciation and sound-structure are treated as technical requirements in ritual.