Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 169

Hanūmaccarita

The Account of Hanumān

Devanagari script

पुष्पनद्ध्वसुकेशास्तु ताः शुभाः स्युः सुनिर्मलाः । एवमेवार्चिता नार्य आप्तकुंकुमविग्रहाः ॥ १६९ ॥

Transliteration

puṣpanaddhvasukeśāstu tāḥ śubhāḥ syuḥ sunirmalāḥ | evamevārcitā nārya āptakuṃkumavigrahāḥ || 169 ||

Translation

花を挿して髪を端正に結い整えた女人は、吉祥にしてきわめて清浄となる。かくのごとく、女人たちよ、この法により礼拝されるとき、その身はよく施されたクンクマ（朱・紅粉）により輝きを得る。

Word by Word

• puṣpa-naddha-su-keśāḥ: whose beautiful hair is adorned with flowers
• puṣpa-naddha-su-keśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + naddha (नह् धातु, कृदन्त) + su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + keśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (पुष्पैः नद्धाः सुकेशाः यस्याः) विशेषणम् (tāḥ)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/but)

• tāḥ: they (those women)
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• śubhāḥ: auspicious/beautiful
• śubhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (tāḥ)

• syuḥ: should be
• syuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थ: ‘स्युः’ (should be)

• su-nirmalāḥ: very pure/spotless
• su-nirmalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + nirmala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (अत्यन्तं निर्मलाः) विशेषणम् (tāḥ)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this way)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed/just)

• arcitāḥ: adorned/honoured
• arcitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arcita (अर्च् धातु, कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (worshipped/adorned)

• nāryaḥ: women
• nāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• āpta-kuṃkuma-vigrahāḥ: whose bodies are smeared with saffron
• āpta-kuṃkuma-vigrahāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āpta (आप् धातु, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + kuṃkuma (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (आप्तं/प्राप्तं कुङ्कुमं विग्रहे यस्याः = bodies anointed with saffron) विशेषणम् (nāryaḥ)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical-ritual context)

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 external auspicious adornment (flowers, neat hair, kuṅkuma) with the inner aim of śauca (purity) and maṅgalatva (auspiciousness), presenting bodily order and reverent honoring as supports for dharmic observance.

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

By emphasizing arcana/ārcana (honoring/worship) and auspicious presentation, it reflects the bhakti principle that devotion is expressed through respectful, beautiful, and pure forms of worship and honoring—outer care reinforcing inner reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Practical ritual discipline connected to śauca and āhnika-style observance is implied: standards of cleanliness, auspicious marks, and proper adornment used as ritual auxiliaries (prayoga) within technical dharma practice.