Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 43

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

अभ्यर्च्य विधितवत्कृष्णं यत्फलं लभते द्विजाः । तत्फलं समवाप्रोति अध्यायत्रयपाठतः ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

abhyarcya vidhitavatkṛṣṇaṃ yatphalaṃ labhate dvijāḥ | tatphalaṃ samavāproti adhyāyatrayapāṭhataḥ || 42 ||

Translation

हे द्विजांनो! विधिपूर्वक श्रीकृष्णाची पूजा केल्याने जे फळ मिळते, तेच फळ तीन अध्यायांचे पठण केल्याने प्राप्त होते।

Word by Word

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वक्रिया

• विधितवत्: according to rule, duly
• विधितवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधितवत् (अव्यय; विधित + वत्)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner): 'विधिना यथा'

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: which
• यत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• समवाप्नोति: attains fully
• समवाप्नोति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अव-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अध्याय: chapter
• अध्याय: सम्बन्ध/निर्देश (Specifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member)

• त्रय: three
• त्रय: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रय (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as prior member), संख्या-विशेषण

• पाठतः: from/by (the merit of) reciting three chapters
• पाठतः: अपादान (Cause/source expressed by ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अध्यायत्रयस्य पाठतः

Speaker

Suta (narrating to the assembled sages, in the conventional Purana frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere scriptural recitation (pāṭha/parāyaṇa) can confer the same spiritual merit as properly performed ritual worship of Kṛṣṇa, emphasizing devotion, remembrance, and sacred hearing/recitation.

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

By equating the fruit of formal worship with the fruit of reciting three chapters, the verse highlights bhakti expressed through nāma-smaraṇa and śāstra-pāṭha—devotion accessible even when elaborate ritual resources are limited.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual correctness is implied by “vidhitavat” (according to injunction), pointing to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and the discipline of proper recitation—skills supported by Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar) for accurate chanting.