Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 144

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

श्वेतपद्मै रक्तपप्दैश्चंपकैः पाटलैः क्रमात् । हुत्वायुतं त्रिमध्वाक्तैर्वशयेत्तद्वरांगनाः ॥ १४४ ॥

Transliteration

śvetapadmai raktapapdaiścaṃpakaiḥ pāṭalaiḥ kramāt | hutvāyutaṃ trimadhvāktairvaśayettadvarāṃganāḥ || 144 ||

Translation

Dengan teratai putih, teratai merah, bunga campaka dan bunga pāṭalā menurut tertibnya; lalu mempersembahkan sepuluh ribu oblation yang disapukan tri-madhu, seseorang dapat menundukkan wanita bangsawan yang dihajati di bawah pengaruhnya.

Word by Word

• śveta-padmaiḥ: with white lotuses
• śveta-padmaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śveta-padma (प्रातिपदिक; śveta + padma)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘white lotuses’

• rakta-padmaiḥ: with red lotuses
• rakta-padmaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta-padma (प्रातिपदिक; rakta + padma)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘red lotuses’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय): ‘and’

• caṃpakaiḥ: with campaka flowers
• caṃpakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṃpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pāṭalaiḥ: with pāṭala flowers
• pāṭalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṭala (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (प्रयोगे), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘pāṭala flowers’

• kramāt: successively
• kramāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग): ‘in order/gradually, successively’

• hutvā: having offered
• hutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hu (हु, धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having offered (into fire)’

• ayutam: ten thousand (oblations)
• ayutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tri-madhvāktaiḥ: with (items) anointed with three kinds of honey
• tri-madhvāktaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri-madhvāktá (प्रातिपदिक; tri + madhu + āktá)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘anointed with three honeys’ (instrument/means)

• vaśayet: should bring under control
• vaśayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vaś (वश्, धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिजन्त), Optative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• tad-varāṃganāḥ: those excellent women
• tad-varāṃganāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad-varāṃganā (प्रातिपदिक; tad + varāṃganā)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘those excellent women’

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual applications within the Vedanga/technical section, traditionally in dialogue with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

FAQs

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

It illustrates a technical prayoga (applied ritual method) where precise materials, sequence (krama), and count of offerings (ayuta) are treated as determinative factors in ritual efficacy—reflecting the text’s Vedanga-style emphasis on procedure.

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

This specific verse is not framed as bhakti-sadhana; it belongs to a technical/ritualist register describing a result-oriented homa. In Narada Purana’s broader teaching, such karma-oriented acts are typically secondary to pure devotion to Vishnu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual science: selection of dravya (materials), krama (proper sequence), saṅkhyā (fixed oblation count), and saṃskāra of offerings (anointing with tri-madhu) as part of a prayoga-vidhi.