Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Yajñamālī–Sumālī Upākhyāna: Merit-Transfer through Temple Plastering (Lepa) and the Redemption of a Sinner

Devanagari script

धनं विश्राण्य धर्मार्थं यज्ञमाली महामतिः । नित्यं विष्णुगृहे सम्यक्परिचर्य्यापरोऽभवत् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

dhanaṃ viśrāṇya dharmārthaṃ yajñamālī mahāmatiḥ | nityaṃ viṣṇugṛhe samyakparicaryyāparo'bhavat || 20 ||

Translation

ധർമ്മാർത്ഥമായി ധനം വിതരണം ചെയ്ത് മഹാമതി യജ്ഞമാലി നിത്യം വിഷ്ണുഗൃഹത്തിൽ യഥാവിധി പരിചര്യയിൽ പരായണനായി.

Word by Word

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विश्राण्य: having given (away)
• विश्राण्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-श्राण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययकृदन्त (having given/distributed)

• धर्म-अर्थम्: for righteousness (as purpose)
• धर्म-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य अर्थः/धर्मार्थः = for dharma)

• यज्ञमाली: Yajñamālī
• यज्ञमाली: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञमालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महामतिः: the great-minded one
• महामतिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् मतिः यस्य)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे क्रियाविशेषणरूपे अव्यय (adverbial accusative: 'always')

• विष्णु-गृहे: in Vishnu's temple/house
• विष्णु-गृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: properly)

• परिचर्या-परः: devoted to service
• परिचर्या-परः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिचर्या (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (परिचर्यायां परः = devoted to service)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yajñamālī

FAQs

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

It presents a Narada Purana model of transformation: wealth is purified by dāna done for dharma, and the heart is stabilized by nitya-sevā—steady, proper service to Viṣṇu as a daily spiritual discipline.

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

Bhakti is shown not only as emotion but as consistent practice: after relinquishing possessiveness through charity, the devotee becomes absorbed in paricaryā—attentive temple service to Viṣṇu—making devotion continuous (nityam) and well-ordered (samyak).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes ritual-practice competence: “samyak-paricaryā” implies correct procedural worship in a Viṣṇu shrine—aligned with Kalpa (ritual method) and basic standards of śaucā (purity) and upacāra (proper offerings), even if not naming a specific Vedāṅga explicitly.