Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Yajñamālī–Sumālī Upākhyāna: Merit-Transfer through Temple Plastering (Lepa) and the Redemption of a Sinner

Devanagari script

विष्णुदूता ऊचुः । यज्ञमालिन्महाभाग नारायणपरायण । उपायं तव वक्ष्यामः सुमालिप्रेममुक्तिदम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

viṣṇudūtā ūcuḥ | yajñamālinmahābhāga nārāyaṇaparāyaṇa | upāyaṃ tava vakṣyāmaḥ sumālipremamuktidam || 36 ||

Translation

Para utusan Viṣṇu berkata: “Wahai Yajñamālin yang amat beruntung, yang berserah sepenuhnya kepada Nārāyaṇa, kami akan menyampaikan kepadamu suatu upaya yang menganugerahkan Sumāli bhakti penuh cinta dan mokṣa.”

Word by Word

• विष्णुदूताः: Viṣṇu’s messengers
• विष्णुदूताः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘विष्णोः दूताः’)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• यज्ञमालिन्: O Yajñamāli
• यज्ञमालिन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञमालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘महान् भागः’ = very fortunate)

• नारायण-परायण: O one devoted to Nārāyaṇa
• नारायण-परायण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘नारायणः परायणं यस्य/यः’) used as epithet

• उपायम्: means, method
• उपायम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तव: for you / your
• तव: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वक्ष्यामः: we will tell
• वक्ष्यामः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सुमालि-प्रेम-मुक्ति-दम्: granting Sumāli love and liberation
• सुमालि-प्रेम-मुक्ति-दम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमालि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रेम (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (‘सुमालेः प्रेम च मुक्ति च ददाति’—‘giving Sumāli love and liberation’); विशेषण (qualifying उपायम्)

Speaker

Vishnudutas (messengers of Vishnu)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narayana
• Vishnudutas
• Yajnamalin
• Sumali

FAQs

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

It frames bhakti to Nārāyaṇa as a practical “upāya” (means) powerful enough to bestow both loving devotion (prema) and liberation (mukti), emphasizing divine assistance through Viṣṇu’s messengers.

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

By addressing Yajñamālin as “nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa,” it highlights single-pointed devotion as the qualification, and promises a teachable method that culminates in prema and moksha—showing bhakti as both practice and goal.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Śikṣā) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the concept of “upāya”—a structured spiritual method within Narada Purana teachings on liberation.