Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 187

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

Devanagari script

अरुणैः कमलैर्हुत्वा पीठे पूर्वोदिते यजेत् । विलिप्य गंधपंकेन लिखेदष्टदलांबुजम् ॥ १८७ ॥

Transliteration

aruṇaiḥ kamalairhutvā pīṭhe pūrvodite yajet | vilipya gaṃdhapaṃkena likhedaṣṭadalāṃbujam || 187 ||

Translation

Setelah mempersembahkan homa dengan teratai merah, hendaklah seseorang memuja di atas pīṭha yang telah disediakan sebelumnya. Sesudah disapu dengan pes harum seperti cendana dan seumpamanya, hendaklah dilukis sebuah teratai berkelopak lapan (maṇḍala).

Word by Word

• aruṇaiḥ: with red (ones)
• aruṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; agrees with kamalaiḥ

• kamalaiḥ: with lotuses
• kamalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• hutvā: having offered
• hutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (हु धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having offered (in fire)’

• pīṭhe: on the seat/altar
• pīṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• pūrva-udite: previously stated
• pūrva-udite: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + udita (उदित कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; agrees with pīṭhe; ‘previously prescribed/mentioned’

• yajet: should worship/perform sacrifice
• yajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (यज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• vilipya: having smeared
• vilipya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lip (लिप् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्ग वि-; ‘having smeared’

• gandha-paṅkena: with fragrant paste
• gandha-paṅkena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; ‘paste/mud of fragrance’

• likhet: should draw/write
• likhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: likh (लिख् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• aṣṭa-dala-ambujam: an eight-petalled lotus
• aṣṭa-dala-ambujam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक) + ambuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘lotus with eight petals’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It sanctifies worship by combining offering (homa-like oblation with lotuses), a consecrated seat (pīṭha), and a sacred geometric support (the eight-petalled lotus), aligning the mind and space for focused devotion.

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

Bhakti is expressed through careful, loving acts—offering auspicious lotuses, preparing a clean seat, and creating a lotus-maṇḍala—so the devotee’s attention becomes steady and reverential during worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual-technical procedure: altar/seat preparation, use of gandha (fragrant paste), and maṇḍala construction (aṣṭadala-ambuja), reflecting the practical liturgical science used in pūjā and related rites.