Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 92

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

स्वभावयुक्तमव्यक्तममेध्येन सदा शुचिः । भाण्डस्थं धरणीस्थं वा पवित्रं सर्वदा जलम् ॥ ९२ ॥

Transliteration

svabhāvayuktamavyaktamamedhyena sadā śuciḥ | bhāṇḍasthaṃ dharaṇīsthaṃ vā pavitraṃ sarvadā jalam || 92 ||

Translation

水はその本性により清浄で、汚れを顕さない。たとえ不浄に触れても、常に清らかである。器にあっても地にあっても、水はつねに浄めの力をもつ。

Word by Word

• स्वभाव-युक्तम्: endowed with its natural quality
• स्वभाव-युक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (‘स्वभावेन युक्तम्’ = endowed with its own nature)

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest/imperceptible
• अव्यक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अमेध्येन: by impurity/unclean matter
• अमेध्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case, Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by/with impurity’ (negated: ‘not defiled even by…’ in sense)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Pradhāna/Predicate complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भाण्ड-स्थम्: kept in a vessel
• भाण्ड-स्थम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (‘भाण्डे स्थितम्’ = situated in a vessel)

• धरणी-स्थम्: on the ground
• धरणी-स्थम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (‘धरण्यां स्थितम्’ = situated on the ground)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पवित्रम्: pure
• पवित्रम्: Pradhāna/Predicate complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma-śāstra style passage on purity)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It establishes water (jala) as intrinsically purifying (pavitra), supporting its central role in śauca—cleansing, sanctifying, and preparing a person or space for dharma and worship.

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

Bhakti practices rely on purity of body and place; by affirming water’s constant purifying capacity, the verse underwrites common devotional acts like ācamana, prokṣaṇa (sprinkling), and preparing for Viṣṇu-pūjā without excessive doubt about incidental contact.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual procedure aligned with Kalpa (the Vedāṅga concerned with rites): water is treated as a standard purifier used for ācamana and prokṣaṇa in domestic and temple rituals.