Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमार उवाच । अथातो विप्र नित्यानां प्रयोगादिसमन्वितम् । पटलं तेऽभिधास्यामि नित्याभ्यर्चनदीपकम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

sanatkumāra uvāca | athāto vipra nityānāṃ prayogādisamanvitam | paṭalaṃ te'bhidhāsyāmi nityābhyarcanadīpakam || 1 ||

Translation

സനത്കുമാരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ വിപ്രാ! ഇനി നിത്യപൂജയുടെ പ്രയോഗാദി ക്രമങ്ങളോടുകൂടിയ ഒരു പടലം ഞാൻ നിനക്കു വിശദീകരിക്കും; അത് ദിനനിത്യ അർച്ചനയ്ക്ക് ദീപകസമമായ മാർഗ്ഗദർശകമാണ്।

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारः: Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now marker)

• अतः: thereupon
• अतः: सम्बन्ध (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ (therefore/thereupon)

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नित्यानाम्: of the Nityās
• नित्यानाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine; as देवी-नाम), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रयोग-आदि-समन्वितम्: endowed with procedures and the like
• प्रयोग-आदि-समन्वितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of पटलम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participial adjective) समन्वित = ‘endowed’; तत्पुरुषः: प्रयोगादिभिः समन्वितम्

• पटलम्: a chapter/section
• पटलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभिधास्यामि: I will explain
• अभिधास्यामि: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• नित्य-अभ्यर्चन-दीपकम्: illuminating (guiding) daily worship
• नित्य-अभ्यर्चन-दीपकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of पटलम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यर्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + दीपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: नित्याभ्यर्चनस्य दीपकम् (that which illuminates/clarifies daily worship)

Speaker

Sanatkumara

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It functions as a formal opening (adhikāra) to a technical, practice-oriented teaching: daily worship is presented as a disciplined nitya-karma that illuminates steady devotion through correct procedure.

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

By framing daily worship as a ‘lamp,’ the verse indicates that bhakti is sustained through regular, methodical abhyarcana—devotion expressed as consistent ritual service rather than occasional emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The emphasis on prayoga (application/procedure) points to technical ritual know-how—how to perform nitya rites correctly—aligning with Vedāṅga-style precision in practice and instruction.