Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

गंधाद्यैर्मंडलं कृत्वा ध्यात्वा देवं जनार्दनम् । स्नायान्मंत्रान्स्मरन्पुण्यांस्तीर्थानि च विरिंचिज ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃdhādyairmaṃḍalaṃ kṛtvā dhyātvā devaṃ janārdanam | snāyānmaṃtrānsmaranpuṇyāṃstīrthāni ca viriṃcija || 32 ||

Translation

गंध इत्यादी शुभ द्रव्यांनी मंडल करून देव जनार्दनाचे ध्यान करावे. हे विरिंचिज! पवित्र मंत्र व तीर्थांचे स्मरण करीत स्नान करावे.

Word by Word

• गन्ध-आद्यैः: with perfumes and the like
• गन्ध-आद्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3rd), बहुवचन (pl.); तत्पुरुषः: गन्धः आदिः येषां तैः = ‘with perfumes etc.’

• मण्डलम्: a circle/diagram
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having made’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated on
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having meditated’

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), एकवचन (sg.); देवस्य विशेषण-नाम

• स्नायात्: should bathe
• स्नायात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद; ‘should bathe’

• मन्त्रान्: mantras
• मन्त्रान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), बहुवचन (pl.)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1st), एकवचन (sg.); कर्तरि: ‘remembering’

• पुण्यान्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषणम्—तीर्थानि (पाठे लिङ्ग-साम्ये ‘पुण्यानि’ अपेक्षितम्; छन्दो/पाठभेदेन ‘पुण्यांस्तीर्‍थानि’ संधि)

• तीर्थानि: sacred fords/holy places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2nd), बहुवचन (pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विरिञ्चिज: O Viriñci (Brahmā)
• विरिञ्चिज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरिञ्चि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Voc. 8th), एकवचन (sg.); ‘हे विरिञ्चे’ (ब्रह्मन्)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Brahma (Virinchi)

FAQs

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

It teaches a compact purification rite: create an auspicious ritual space (maṇḍala), fix the mind in Viṣṇu (Janārdana) through dhyāna, and sanctify the bath by mantra-remembrance and tīrtha-smaraṇa—turning a physical act into a devotional and merit-bearing practice.

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

Bhakti is expressed as remembrance-centered practice: meditating on Janārdana and continuously smaran (remembering) mantras and holy places while bathing, so the ritual becomes God-oriented rather than merely external.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual discipline (kalpa-prayoga style): preparing a maṇḍala with auspicious substances, coordinating mantra-smaraṇa with snāna, and using tīrtha-smaraṇa as a sanctioned method of sacralizing daily or occasional rites.