Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

रमासीतापदं ङेंतं द्विठांतो जानकीमनुः । अग्रेः शार्ङ्गं च सम्पूज्य शरान्पार्श्वद्वयेऽर्चयेत् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

ramāsītāpadaṃ ṅeṃtaṃ dviṭhāṃto jānakīmanuḥ | agreḥ śārṅgaṃ ca sampūjya śarānpārśvadvaye'rcayet || 15 ||

Translation

രമാ-സീതാ പദങ്ങൾ സ്ഥാപിച്ച് ദ്വിഠാന്ത ജാനകീമന്ത്രംകൊണ്ട്; ആദ്യം മുന്നിൽ ശാർങ്ഗ ധനുസ്സിനെ സമ്യകായി പൂജിച്ച്, പിന്നെ ഇരുപാർശ്വങ്ങളിലും ശരങ്ങളെ അർച്ചിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• रमा-सीता-पदम्: the word/term ‘Ramā–Sītā’
• रमा-सीता-पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा (प्रातिपदिक) + सीता (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (रमा च सीता च) + पदम् (word/term)

• ङे-इतम्: marked with ‘ṅe’ (technical affix-marker)
• ङे-इतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ङे (प्रत्याहार/प्रत्यय-संज्ञा) + इत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धित/व्याकरण-संज्ञा: ‘ङे’ इति इत्-संज्ञक-प्रत्यय-युक्तम् (technical grammatical marker)

• द्वि-ठा-अन्तः: ending with ‘dvi-ṭhā’ (technical phonetic ending)
• द्वि-ठा-अन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + ठा (प्रत्याहार/वर्ण) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; व्याकरण-संज्ञा: ‘ठा’ इत्यन्तः/द्वि-ठा-समाप्तः (mantra-encoding/phonetic instruction)

• जानकी-मनुः: the Jānakī-mantra
• जानकी-मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानकी (प्रातिपदिक) + मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जानक्याः मनुः = Jānakī-mantra)

• अग्रेः: of Agni (fire-deity)
• अग्रेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; पाठभेद/रूप: ‘अग्रेः’ = ‘अग्नेः’ (of Agni)

• शार्ङ्गम्: Śārṅga (the bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped fully
• सम्पूज्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) = ‘having worshipped duly’

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• पार्श्व-द्वये: on both sides
• पार्श्व-द्वये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पार्श्वयोः द्वयम्)

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Narada (instructing in a technical/ritual-vidhi section, traditionally within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• Sītā (Jānakī)
• Śārṅga (Viṣṇu’s bow)

FAQs

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

It frames devotion as precise, reverent worship: honoring Ramā–Sītā along with Viṣṇu’s divine implements (Śārṅga and the arrows) expresses complete surrender to the Lord’s power, protection, and grace.

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

Bhakti here is enacted through orderly upacāra and mantra-guided worship—placing sacred names/words correctly and venerating the Lord’s āyudhas as extensions of His presence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical focus on syllabic/phonetic specification (e.g., “dvi-ṭhā”) and mantra-placement (nyāsa/vidhi), reflecting śikṣā-type precision applied to ritual practice.