Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

गोघृतं प्रक्षिपेत्तत्र शुद्धवस्त्रविशोधितम् । सहस्रपलसंख्यादिदशांशं कार्यगौरवात् ॥ ७८ ॥

Transliteration

goghṛtaṃ prakṣipettatra śuddhavastraviśodhitam | sahasrapalasaṃkhyādidaśāṃśaṃ kāryagauravāt || 78 ||

Translation

Là, qu’il ajoute du ghee de vache, purifié en le filtrant à travers un linge propre—à raison d’un dixième de la mesure, telle que mille palas et autres, selon la gravité et l’importance de l’acte rituel.

Word by Word

• गो-घृतम्: cow-ghee
• गो-घृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोः घृतम् = cow-ghee)

• प्रक्षिपेत्: should put/throw in
• प्रक्षिपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्र: there/in that place
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• शुद्ध-वस्त्र-विशोधितम्: purified/filtered with a clean cloth
• शुद्ध-वस्त्र-विशोधितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-शुध् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘विशोधित’; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शुद्धेन वस्त्रेण विशोधितम्)

• सहस्र-पल-संख्या-आदि-दशांशम्: a tenth part (as per thousand-pala measure etc.)
• सहस्र-पल-संख्या-आदि-दशांशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पल (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रपलसंख्या-आदि = etc. of thousand-pala measure; तस्य दशांशः)

• कार्य-गौरवात्: because of the importance/weight of the rite
• कार्य-गौरवात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे पञ्चमी (ablative of cause): ‘because of’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes śuddhi (purity) and niyama (precision): offerings become ritually fit when substances like ghee are purified and measured correctly, reflecting disciplined dharma in sacred action.

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

While primarily technical, it supports bhakti by teaching that careful, pure preparation of offerings is a form of reverent service—devotion expressed through meticulous ritual conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/ritual procedure and traditional metrology: filtering (dravya-śodhana) and proportioning ingredients using measures like pala, including a rule of one-tenth based on the required scale.