Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 76

Dīpa-vidhi-vyākhyānam

Procedure for Lamp-Offering to Hanumān

Devanagari script

शत्रुसेनाभये प्राप्ते गैरिकेण तु मंडलम् । कृत्वा तदंतरे तालमीष्टन्नम्रं समालिखेत् ॥ ७६ ॥

Transliteration

śatrusenābhaye prāpte gairikeṇa tu maṃḍalam | kṛtvā tadaṃtare tālamīṣṭannamraṃ samālikhet || 76 ||

Translation

Quand survient le danger d’une armée ennemie, qu’on trace un maṇḍala circulaire avec de l’ocre rouge; puis, à l’intérieur, qu’on dessine avec soin un palmier tāla, légèrement incliné selon le souhait.

Word by Word

• śatru-senā-bhaye: in the fear of the enemy army
• śatru-senā-bhaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + senā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative)

• prāpte: when (it has) arisen/occurred
• prāpte: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/When obtained)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prāp (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter agreeing with भये; absolute-locative sense (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

• gairikeṇa: with red ochre
• gairikeṇa: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gairika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) or Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• maṇḍalam: a circle/diagram
• maṇḍalam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)

• tad-antare: in its interior/in between
• tad-antare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास

• tālam: a palm tree / tāla
• tālam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īṣat: slightly
• īṣat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: īṣat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• namram: bent/leaning
• namram: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: namra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tālam

• samālikhet: should draw/inscribe
• samālikhet: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-likh (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a technical protective procedure within Vedanga/ritual science context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It presents a dharma-based protective rite where a consecrated mandala and symbolic form (the bent tāla) are used to invoke order, warding, and auspiciousness during external threats.

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

Bhakti is implied through disciplined reliance on sacred procedure rather than panic—using sanctified materials and prescribed forms as an act of faith in dharmic protection.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Applied ritual-technical knowledge: constructing a mandala with specified substance (gairika) and inscribing a prescribed figure—skills aligned with procedural disciplines used in Vedic rites.