Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रं तु प्रकुर्वीत भुक्तोच्छिष्टः षडाचरेत् । उदक्यां सूतिकांवापि संस्पृशेदन्त्यजो यदि ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

trirātraṃ tu prakurvīta bhuktocchiṣṭaḥ ṣaḍācaret | udakyāṃ sūtikāṃvāpi saṃspṛśedantyajo yadi || 11 ||

Translation

അന്ത്യജൻ രജസ്വലയെയോ സൂതികയെയോ സ്പർശിച്ചാൽ മൂന്നു രാത്രികൾ അശൗചം ആചരിക്കണം; ഭുക്ത-ഉച്ഛിഷ്ടാവസ്ഥയിലുള്ളവനെ സ്പർശിച്ചാൽ ആറു രാത്രികൾ ആചരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• त्रिरात्रम्: three nights (observance)
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रि + रात्र)

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

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भुक्तोच्छिष्टः: one who has eaten leftovers
• भुक्तोच्छिष्टः: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्त (भुज्-धातु, क्त) + उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भुक्तस्य उच्छिष्टः)

• षट्: six
• षट्: Karma (कर्म; measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; (here in compound with आचरेत् as object-count)

• आचरेत्: should practice/observe
• आचरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उदक्याम्: a menstruating woman
• उदक्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सूतिकाम्: a woman in childbirth/just delivered
• सूतिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (particle: also/even)

• संस्पृशेत्: should touch
• संस्पृशेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्त्यजः: an outcaste
• अन्त्यजः: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada in a dharma-śāstra style discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined conduct (ācāra) by prescribing specific periods of āśauca (ritual impurity) and expiation after contact-based defilement, reinforcing mindfulness and restraint in daily dharma.

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

While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional life indirectly: ritual cleanliness and regulated conduct are treated as supportive disciplines that help a practitioner remain fit for worship, japa, and temple/household rites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Smārta-ācāra: practical rules for purity/impurity periods (āśauca) tied to touch, bodily states, and food-remnants (ucchiṣṭa).