Previous Verse
Next Verse

Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

पूर्वं कृत्वा द्विजः शौचं पश्चादप उपस्पृशेत् । अहोरात्रोषितो भूत्वा पञ्चगव्येन शुध्यति ॥ ५ ॥

pūrvaṃ kṛtvā dvijaḥ śaucaṃ paścādapa upaspṛśet | ahorātroṣito bhūtvā pañcagavyena śudhyati || 5 ||

प्रथम द्विजाने शौच करावे, नंतर आचमनासाठी जलस्पर्श करावा. जर तो अहोरात्र अशुचि राहिला असेल, तर पंचगव्याने शुद्ध होतो।

pūrvamfirst
pūrvam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormKāla-avyaya (काल), adverbial accusative ‘first/before’
kṛtvāhaving done
kṛtvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (कृ धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having done’
dvijaḥa twice-born (brahmin)
dvijaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
śaucampurificatory act/cleanliness
śaucam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśauca (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
paścātafterwards
paścāt:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpaścāt (अव्यय)
FormKāla-avyaya (काल), adverb ‘afterwards’
apaḥwater
apaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootap (अप् प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); irregular stem ap- ‘waters’
upaspṛśetshould touch (water)
upaspṛśet:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-√spṛś (स्पृश् धातु)
FormVidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada; ‘should touch (water)’
ahorātroṣitaḥhaving stayed for a day and night
ahorātroṣitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootaho-rātra + uṣita (प्रातिपदिक; √vas/√uṣ ‘to dwell’)
FormTatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष) ‘for a day and night’; uṣita = past participle (क्त) used adjectivally; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
bhūtvāhaving become
bhūtvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (भू धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having become’
pañcagavyenawith pañcagavya
pañcagavyena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpañcagavya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (3/तृतीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa (पञ्च + गव्य) ‘five (cow-products)’
śudhyatibecomes purified
śudhyati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śudh (शुध् धातु)
FormLaṭ (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within dharma-śāstra style teaching)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

N
Narada
S
Sanatkumara

FAQs

It frames purity (śauca) as both an inner discipline and an outer ritual order—cleanliness first, then water-purification—so that sacred acts are performed in a fit state.

While the verse is primarily about dharma and ritual purity, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing preparatory purity, which traditional practice treats as a prerequisite for worship, japa, and offerings to Viṣṇu.

It highlights kalpa-type procedural knowledge (ritual method): the sequence of śauca and ācamana, and the expiatory/purificatory use of pañcagavya after extended impurity.