Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

नरास्थिजा मारणे तु स्तंभने राजवृक्षजा । शांतिपुष्टष्ट्यायुषां सिद्धयै सर्वापच्छमनाय च ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

narāsthijā māraṇe tu staṃbhane rājavṛkṣajā | śāṃtipuṣṭaṣṭyāyuṣāṃ siddhayai sarvāpacchamanāya ca || 41 ||

Translation

മനുഷ്യ-അസ്ഥിജ ദ്രവ്യം മാരണകർമ്മത്തിൽ പ്രയോഗിക്കുന്നു; ‘രാജവൃക്ഷ’ജന്യ ദ്രവ്യം സ്തംഭനത്തിനായി. ശാന്തി, പുഷ്ടി, ആയുസ്സിദ്ധി, സർവ്വാപത്തുകളുടെ ശമനം എന്നിവയ്ക്കും ഇതു ഉപകരിക്കുന്നതായി പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• नरास्थिजा: born from human bone / made of human bone
• नरास्थिजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर + अस्थि + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. nom. sg.; adjectival)

• मारणे: in killing (rite)
• मारणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative singular)

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

• स्तंभने: in immobilizing/stupefying (rite)
• स्तंभने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative singular)

• राजवृक्षजा: born from the rājavṛkṣa tree
• राजवृक्षजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजवृक्ष + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (fem. nom. sg.; adjectival)

• शान्ति: peace
• शान्ति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपद/पूर्वपद)

• पुष्टि: nourishment/prosperity
• पुष्टि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपद/पूर्वपद)

• अष्टि: increase/growth
• अष्टि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपद/पूर्वपद); अष्टिः = वृद्धि/समृद्धि (increase)

• आयुषाम्: of lifespans / of longevity
• आयुषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• सिद्धयै: for accomplishment/success
• सिद्धयै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (dative singular)

• सर्वापत्: all calamities
• सर्वापत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आपत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, (समासपूर्वपद/पूर्वपद); सर्वापत् = सर्वा आपद् (all calamities)

• शमनाय: for pacification/removal
• शमनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन (dative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical/ritual applications)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It classifies specific substances by their ritual function—destructive (māraṇa), restraining (stambhana), and pacificatory (śānti)—showing the Purana’s technical mapping of material means to intended karmic outcomes, with emphasis on apad-śamana (calamity-pacification).

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

Direct bhakti instruction is not explicit here; instead, it reflects the supportive, practical layer of dharma where pacificatory rites (śānti) and welfare aims (puṣṭi, āyus) are pursued as auxiliaries that can stabilize life for sustained sādhana and devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual-technical knowledge (prayoga) concerning substances used for specific ritual effects—typical of the Narada Purana’s Third Pada focus on technical sciences allied to Vedic practice (mantra- and aushadha-based procedures).