Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala

Devanagari script

यद्यग्नौ जुहुयाद्वापि पाणौ वा स हि पातकी । उपासनाग्ना दूरस्थे केचिदिच्छंति वै द्विजाः ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

yadyagnau juhuyādvāpi pāṇau vā sa hi pātakī | upāsanāgnā dūrasthe kecidicchaṃti vai dvijāḥ || 55 ||

Translation

ແມ່ນແຕ່ຖ້າຜູ້ໃດຈະຖວາຍເຄື່ອງບູຊາລົງໃນໄຟ ຫຼືແມ່ນກະທັ້ງລົງໃນຝາມືຂອງຕົນ ຜູ້ນັ້ນກໍເປັນຄົນມີບາບແທ້. ເມື່ອໄຟບູຊາປະຈໍາວັນ (upāsanā-agni) ຖືກເກັບໄວ້ໄກ ດວິຊະບາງຄົນຍັງປາຖະໜາຈະດໍາເນີນພິທີໃນທາງທີ່ບໍ່ຖືກຕ້ອງນັ້ນ.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Hetu/Śarta (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conditional particle

• agnau: in the fire
• agnau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular

• juhuyāt: should offer
• juhuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hu (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada; ‘should offer (oblation)’

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive particle ‘or’

• api: even
• api: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle ‘even/also’

• pāṇau: in the hand
• pāṇau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive particle

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; pronoun

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic/causal particle

• pātakī: a sinner
• pātakī: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātakin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; predicate noun

• upāsanāgnā: with the worship-fire
• upāsanāgnā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāsanā + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular (as read in IAST); ‘by/with the worship-fire’ (textually may intend upāsanāgnau locative)

• dūra-sthe: when (it is) far away
• dūra-sthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dūra + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; ‘when (it is) far away’

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; indefinite pronoun ‘some’

• icchanti: desire/approve
• icchanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• vai: indeed
• vai: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• dvijāḥ: brāhmaṇas
• dvijāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Dvija

FAQs

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

It stresses ritual integrity: sacred offerings must follow dharmic procedure, and treating oblations casually—especially when one neglects the properly maintained worship-fire—becomes a moral and spiritual fault (pātaka).

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

Bhakti is not merely intention; it includes reverent discipline. Proper care of the upāsanā-agni reflects steadiness (niyama) and respect for sacred practice, which supports sincere devotion rather than convenient ritualism.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Kalpa (Vedanga of ritual procedure): correct performance of offerings and the proper maintenance/placement of the household worship-fire (upāsanā-agni) are essential for valid rites.