Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

Bhuvaneśī (Nidrā-Śakti) Mantra-vidhi, Nyāsa–Āvaraṇa Worship, Padma-homa Prayogas, and the Opening of Śrī-Mahālakṣmī Upāsanā

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वा तिलकं कुर्याद्राजवश्यमनुत्तमम् । शालिपिष्टमयीं कृत्वा पुत्तलीं मधुरान्विताम् ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

gṛhītvā tilakaṃ kuryādrājavaśyamanuttamam | śālipiṣṭamayīṃ kṛtvā puttalīṃ madhurānvitām || 47 ||

Translation

തിലകദ്രവ്യം എടുത്ത് രാജവശ്യമായ അനുത്തമ ഫലം സാധിക്കണം. അരിപൊടിപ്പേസ്റ്റ് കൊണ്ട് ഒരു ചെറിയ പുത്തളി ഉണ്ടാക്കി, അതിൽ മധുരദ്രവ്യങ്ങൾ (നൈവേദ്യം) ചേർക്കണം॥४७॥

Word by Word

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive): ‘गृहीत्वा/ग्रहणं कृत्वा’; Indeclinable gerund

• तिलकम्: tilaka mark/paste
• तिलकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should make/do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Optative, 3rd person singular

• राज-वश्यम्: subjugation of the king
• राज-वश्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: राज्ञः वश्यम् (bringing the king under control); Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शालि-पिष्ट-मयीम्: made of rice-flour
• शालि-पिष्ट-मयीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शालि (प्रातिपदिक) + पिष्ट (√पिष् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: शालिपिष्टेन मयी (made of rice-flour); Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive): ‘कृत्वा’; Indeclinable gerund

• पुत्तलीम्: a doll/figurine
• पुत्तलीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्तली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मधुर-अन्विताम्: endowed with sweetness
• मधुर-अन्विताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (√इ + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: मधुरेण अन्विता (endowed with sweetness); Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

Narada (in instruction-mode within a technical/ritual section; traditionally presented in dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates a technical ritual application where sacred marking (tilaka) and a symbolic offering (a rice-flour figurine with sweets) are used as prescribed means to obtain worldly efficacy—showing how ritual technology is discussed in Book 1.3’s practical sciences.

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

Bhakti is not taught directly here; instead, the verse belongs to a pragmatic ritual domain. In the Narada Purana’s broader framework, such rites are typically subordinate to higher aims, while devotion to Vishnu is presented elsewhere as the supreme purifier and liberator.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual procedure—use of tilaka (anointing/marking) and preparation of a śāli-piṣṭa (rice-flour paste) figurine with madhura (sweet) offerings—reflecting the text’s technical, practice-oriented instructions characteristic of its Vedanga/auxiliary-knowledge sections.