Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Kalpa-Lakṣaṇa and Gṛhya-Kalpa: Classifications, Purifications, Implements, and Spatial Rite-Design

Devanagari script

अग्नेरानयनं प्रोक्तं सौभाग्यस्त्रीभिरेव च । शुभदे मृण्मये पात्रे प्रोक्ष्याद्भिस्तं निधापयेत् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

agnerānayanaṃ proktaṃ saubhāgyastrībhireva ca | śubhade mṛṇmaye pātre prokṣyādbhistaṃ nidhāpayet || 20 ||

Translation

അഗ്നിയെ കൊണ്ടുവരുന്നത് സൗഭാഗ്യവതികളായ വിവാഹിതസ്ത്രീകൾ തന്നെയാകണമെന്ന് വിധി പറയുന്നു. ജലപ്രോക്ഷണം ചെയ്ത്, ശുഭദായകമായ മൺപാത്രത്തിൽ ആ അഗ്നിയെ സ്ഥാപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अग्नेः: of fire
• अग्नेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आनयनम्: bringing (bringing in)
• आनयनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-नी (धातु) + अन (प्रत्यय) → आनयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (action noun)

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/has been stated
• प्रोक्तम्: विधेय (Predicate/कर्मणि-प्रयोग)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कथितम्/उक्तम्’

• सौभाग्य-स्त्रीभिः: by auspicious women
• सौभाग्य-स्त्रीभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सौभाग्ययुक्ताः स्त्रियः); स्त्री-शब्दः स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• च: and
• च: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुभदे: in/at the auspicious (place)
• शुभदे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘शुभद’ इति विशेषण-प्रातिपदिकस्य स्थानवाचक-प्रयोगः

• मृण्मये: earthen
• मृण्मये: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृण्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पात्रे इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पात्रे: in the vessel
• पात्रे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• प्रोक्ष्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उक्ष् (धातु) → प्रोक्ष्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘प्रोक्षणं कृत्वा’

• अद्भिः: with water
• अद्भिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक: जल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘जलैः’

• तम्: him/that (fire)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निधापयेत्: should place/deposit
• निधापयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → निधापय (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within Moksha-dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the establishment of sacred fire (Agni) through auspicious agency and ritual purification (sprinkling), emphasizing purity and auspiciousness as supports for dharmic practice.

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

While primarily ritual, it supports bhakti indirectly by prescribing a pure, auspicious setup for worship and vows—outer order (karma) that steadies the mind for inner devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is highlighted: who should perform the act (auspicious women), how purification is done (prokṣaṇa/sprinkling), and the proper receptacle (mṛṇmaya pātra).