Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

अष्टोत्तगरशतं दृत्वा घृतमिश्रतिलाहुतीः । पूर्वमानेन पयसा गोविन्दं स्नापयेच्छुचिः ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭottagaraśataṃ dṛtvā ghṛtamiśratilāhutīḥ | pūrvamānena payasā govindaṃ snāpayecchuciḥ || 39 ||

Translation

നെയ്യ് കലർത്തിയ എള്ളിന്റെ 108 ആഹുതികൾ അർപ്പിച്ച്, പിന്നെ ശുചിയായി നിശ്ചിത അളവിലുള്ള പാലാൽ ഗോവിന്ദനെ സ്നാപനം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• अष्टोत्तर-शतम्: one hundred and eight
• अष्टोत्तर-शतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म) (संख्या-परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (count-adjective)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• घृत-मिश्र-तिल-आहुतीः: sesame oblations mixed with ghee
• घृत-मिश्र-तिल-आहुतीः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; (घृतेन मिश्राः तिलाः यस्याः सा) तिल-आहुतयः

• पूर्व-मानेन: with the prescribed measure
• पूर्व-मानेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पयसा: with milk
• पयसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) (णिच्/causative) → स्नापय (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: 'cause to bathe')

• शुचिः: pure (one)
• शुचिः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता) (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि विशेषणम् (implicit doer)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instructing Narada on Vishnu worship procedures)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It links inner purity (śuciḥ) with precise devotional action—108 ghee-sesame oblations followed by milk-abhiṣeka—showing that disciplined ritual offered to Govinda is a direct mode of bhakti.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as loving service through ordered worship: offerings (āhuti) and bathing (snāpana/abhiṣeka) of Govinda, performed with purity and according to scriptural measure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and measurement (māna)—a practical aspect of Kalpa/śrauta-smārta ritual discipline—are emphasized, indicating that correct standards matter in Vaidika-style worship.