Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 116

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

पृंथु सुवृत्तं मसृणं वितस्तिमात्रोन्नतं कौ विनिखन्य शंकुम् । आक्रम्य पद्भ्यामितरेतरैस्तु हस्तैर्भ्रमोऽयं खलु रासगोष्ठी ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

pṛṃthu suvṛttaṃ masṛṇaṃ vitastimātronnataṃ kau vinikhanya śaṃkum | ākramya padbhyāmitaretaraistu hastairbhramo'yaṃ khalu rāsagoṣṭhī || 116 ||

Translation

വിസ്തൃതവും പൂർണ്ണവൃത്തവും മൃദുവും ഒരു വിതസ്തി ഉയരവുമുള്ള ശങ്കു ഭൂമിയിൽ ദൃഢമായി കുത്തി നിർത്തണം. പിന്നെ കാലുകൾ മാറിമാറി വെച്ച് കൈകളാൽ തിരിക്കുന്ന ആ ചുറ്റലാണ് യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ രാസഗോഷ്ഠിയെപ്പോലെയുള്ള ഭ്രമണം.

Word by Word

• पृथु: broad, wide
• पृथु: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• सुवृत्तम्: well-rounded
• सुवृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु-वृत्त = well-rounded)

• मसृणम्: smooth
• मसृणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मसृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वितस्ति-मात्र-उन्नतम्: raised to the height of one span
• वितस्ति-मात्र-उन्नतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वितस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्नत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वितस्ति-मात्रम् = a span-measure; तेन उन्नतम् = raised by that measure)

• कौ: indeed/just (particle)
• कौ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कौ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle, emphatic/colloquial)

• विनिखन्य: having dug in
• विनिखन्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + खन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having dug in’

• शङ्कुम्: stake, peg
• शङ्कुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• आक्रम्य: having stepped on
• आक्रम्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having stepped/pressed upon’

• पद्भ्याम्: with (both) feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), द्विवचन

• इतरेतरैः: alternating, one after another
• इतरेतरैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतरेतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (mutual/alternating)

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

• हस्तैः: with hands
• हस्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• भ्रमः: whirling, spinning
• भ्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• खलु: indeed, surely
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• रास-गोष्ठी: the rāsa-dance gathering
• रास-गोष्ठी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रास (प्रातिपदिक) + गोष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रासस्य गोष्ठी = the gathering of rāsa)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/Vedanga-style instructional passage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: hasya

FAQs

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

It shows that disciplined, correctly executed practice—even when technical and physical—can be framed as sacred, using devotional imagery (rāsa) to keep the mind reverent and concentrated.

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

By likening a mechanical whirling action to a rāsa gathering, the verse encourages the practitioner to remember divine play while performing prescribed actions, turning technique into remembrance (smaraṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A procedural, measurement-based instruction (e.g., “vitasti-mātra” height, smooth round peg, firm fixing, alternating foot pressure and hand rotation) reflects the applied, technical side of Vedic practice associated with ritual-method precision.