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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

The Explanation of Sandhyā and Related Daily Observances

Saṅdhyā-ādi Nitya-karma-Vidhi

दक्षिणाभिमुखं रात्रौ दिवा स्थित्वा ह्युदङ्मुखः । मलं विसृज्य शौचं तु मृदाद्भिः समुपाचरेत् ॥ ५ ॥

dakṣiṇābhimukhaṃ rātrau divā sthitvā hyudaṅmukhaḥ | malaṃ visṛjya śaucaṃ tu mṛdādbhiḥ samupācaret || 5 ||

នៅពេលយប់ គួរបែរមុខទៅទិសខាងត្បូង; នៅពេលថ្ងៃ គួរឈរបែរមុខទៅទិសខាងជើង។ បន្ទាប់ពីបញ្ចេញកាកសំណល់ហើយ ត្រូវអនុវត្តសោច (śauca) ដោយដី/កៅស៊ូ និងទឹកតាមវិធីគួរ។

दक्षिणाभिमुखम्facing south
दक्षिणाभिमुखम्:
Karma (कर्म/गत्यर्थ-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदक्षिण-अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक; दक्षिण + अभिमुख)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयप्रायः; ‘दक्षिणं अभिमुखम्’ (as adverbial accusative with sthitvā)
रात्रौat night
रात्रौ:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootरात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्
दिवाby day
दिवा:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootदिवा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
स्थित्वाhaving stood
स्थित्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having stood’
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)
उदङ्मुखःfacing north
उदङ्मुखः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootउदङ्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; उदङ् + मुख)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उदङ् = उत्तरदिक्)
मलम्impurity/excrement
मलम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
विसृज्यhaving evacuated
विसृज्य:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-सृज् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); उपसर्गः वि-; ‘having discharged’
शौचम्purification/cleaning
शौचम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
तुthen/but
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; contrast/indeed)
मृदात्from earth/clay
मृदात्:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘from/with (a lump of) earth’ (ablative used in compound with -bhiḥ)
भिःwith (instrumental plural marker)
भिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootभिस् (विभक्ति-प्रत्यय; तृतीया-बहुवचन)
Formविभक्ति-प्रत्यय-रूप (instrumental plural ending used after mṛdāt in sandhi: mṛdādbhiḥ)
समुपाचरेत्should perform/should practice
समुपाचरेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-उप-आ-चर् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative/पोटेन्शियल), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within Vedāṅga-style ritual guidance)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

It frames bodily cleanliness (śauca) as a dhārmic discipline: removing physical impurity with proper method and mindfulness supports ritual fitness and inner purity.

While not directly teaching bhakti, it provides the purity foundation traditionally required for worship and mantra-japa—cleanliness and correct conduct prepare the devotee for devotional practice.

It highlights technical dharma-śāstra style procedure (prayoga): directional etiquette by time (day/night) and the prescribed materials (earth and water) for post-evacuation purification.