Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 174

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वैवं प्रजपेल्लक्षचतुष्कं तद्दशांशतः । कुंडेऽर्द्धचंद्रे पद्मैर्वा जातीपुष्पैश्च होमयेत् ॥ १७४ ॥

Transliteration

dhyātvaivaṃ prajapellakṣacatuṣkaṃ taddaśāṃśataḥ | kuṃḍe'rddhacaṃdre padmairvā jātīpuṣpaiśca homayet || 174 ||

Translation

かく観想し終えたなら、真言を四十万遍ジャパし、さらにその十分の一の数だけ、半月形の火壇にて護摩を修し、蓮華または茉莉（ジャスミン）の花をもって供養せよ。

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) → ध्यात्वा (कृदन्त, त्वान्त/क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having meditated)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• प्रजपेत्: should mutter/recite
• प्रजपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• लक्ष-चतुष्कम्: four lakhs (400,000)
• लक्ष-चतुष्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास (लक्षाणां चतुष्कम् = four lakhs); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; परिमाण/संख्या

• तत्-दशांशतः: as one-tenth of that
• तत्-दशांशतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दशांश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = 'from/by a tenth of that'

• कुण्डे: in the fire-pit
• कुण्डे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अर्द्ध-चन्द्रे: in the half-moon (shaped pit)
• अर्द्ध-चन्द्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; (अर्द्धचन्द्राकार-कुण्डे)

• पद्मैः: with lotuses
• पद्मैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण

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

• जाती-पुष्पैः: with jasmine flowers
• जाती-पुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाती (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (जातेः पुष्पाणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• होमयेत्: should offer oblations
• होमयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु) (होमयति-णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a Vedanga/ritual-vidhi section of Book 1.3)

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 links inner contemplation (dhyāna) with disciplined practice: extensive mantra-japa is completed and then ritually “sealed” through homa in a prescribed proportion, showing how meditation, repetition, and offering work together for siddhi and purification.

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

Even when the focus is technical (japa counts and homa rules), the sequence begins with meditation and culminates in offering—both central bhakti gestures—training the practitioner to remember the deity and dedicate the fruit of practice through oblations.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-vidhi precision: prescribed japa count (lakṣa-catuṣka), the daśāṁśa rule (one-tenth homa), and altar specification (arddha-candra kuṇḍa), reflecting applied Kalpa-style procedural knowledge.