Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

द्वादशमासेषु अष्टमी-व्रत-कथनम्

Account of the Aṣṭamī Vow Across the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

तुलसीदलं सुवर्णेन कारयित्वा सुलक्षणम् । हैमीं च प्रतिमां कृत्वा पूजयित्वा विधानतः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

tulasīdalaṃ suvarṇena kārayitvā sulakṣaṇam | haimīṃ ca pratimāṃ kṛtvā pūjayitvā vidhānataḥ || 21 ||

Translation

സ്വർണ്ണത്തിൽ ശുഭലക്ഷണമുള്ള തുളസിദളം നിർമ്മിപ്പിച്ച്, കൂടാതെ സ്വർണ്ണപ്രതിമയും ഉണ്ടാക്കി, വിധിപ്രകാരം പൂജിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• तुलसी-दलम्: a tulasī leaf
• तुलसी-दलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• सुवर्णेन: with gold
• सुवर्णेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• कारयित्वा: having had (it) made
• कारयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरण (causative) + क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having caused to be made’

• सु-लक्षणम्: well-marked/auspicious
• सु-लक्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• हैमीम्: golden
• हैमीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘प्रतिमाम्’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• प्रतिमाम्: image/idol
• प्रतिमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having made’

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having worshipped’

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed method
• विधानतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण — ‘according to rule’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a didactic, injunctional style within the dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi

FAQs

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

It elevates Tulasī-associated worship into a formal, rule-governed (vidhi) devotional act, emphasizing auspicious preparation and reverent icon-veneration as a means of cultivating bhakti.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through tangible seva—crafting sacred emblems and a pratimā and worshipping them correctly—showing devotion as disciplined, intentional, and scripture-aligned practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied by “vidhānataḥ,” pointing to correct injunction-based performance—how worship is to be done according to prescribed rules.