Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 90

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

Devanagari script

शंखचक्रगदापाणिं नित्यं नारायणं स्मरेत् । वानप्रस्थः प्रकुर्वीत तपश्चांद्रायणादिकम् ॥ ९० ॥

Transliteration

śaṃkhacakragadāpāṇiṃ nityaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ smaret | vānaprasthaḥ prakurvīta tapaścāṃdrāyaṇādikam || 90 ||

Translation

Seorang vānaprastha hendaklah sentiasa mengingati Nārāyaṇa, yang di tangan-Nya ada sangkha, cakra dan gada. Dan hendaklah dia melaksanakan tapa seperti nazar Cāndrāyaṇa serta disiplin yang seumpamanya.

Word by Word

• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-pāṇim: him whose hands hold conch, discus, and mace
• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-pāṇim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिसमासः (yasya pāṇau śaṅkha-cakra-gadāḥ = whose hands hold conch, discus, mace)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverb: always)

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• smaret: should remember
• smaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/should), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; √स्मृ (to remember)

• vānaprasthaḥ: a vānaprastha
• vānaprasthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānaprastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्

• prakurvīta: should perform
• prakurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/should), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; √कृ with उपसर्ग pra- (to perform)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• cāndrāyaṇa-ādikam: Cāndrāyaṇa and similar (rites)
• cāndrāyaṇa-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāndrāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (cāndrāyaṇaṃ ca ādiḥ yasya = such as the Cāndrāyaṇa observance, etc.)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Cāndrāyaṇa

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It unites two core pillars of vānaprastha-dharma: unwavering Viṣṇu-smaraṇa (constant remembrance of Nārāyaṇa) and regulated tapas (austerities), indicating that purification and devotion must proceed together.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as nitya-smaraṇa—continuous recollection of Nārāyaṇa in a concrete iconic form (conch, discus, mace), making devotion steady, focused, and uninterrupted even during austere living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to practical ritual discipline through vrata-prayoga (observance of vows like Cāndrāyaṇa), which relies on correct calendrical reckoning and timing (linked to Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga) for lunar-based observances.