Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

बिभ्रतीं रत्नमालां च कोटिचंद्रसमप्रभाम् । ध्यात्वा जपेदर्कलक्षं पायसेन दशांशतः ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

bibhratīṃ ratnamālāṃ ca koṭicaṃdrasamaprabhām | dhyātvā japedarkalakṣaṃ pāyasena daśāṃśataḥ || 53 ||

Translation

Dengan merenungkan Baginda yang mengenakan kalung permata dan bersinar laksana cahaya sepuluh juta bulan, hendaklah seseorang melakukan japa Arka-mantra sebanyak satu lakh (100,000) kali; kemudian mempersembahkan homa dengan pāyasa (bubur susu) sebanyak sepersepuluh bahagiannya.

Word by Word

• बिभ्रतीम्: bearing/holding
• बिभ्रतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु) + बिभ्रत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle: bearing)

• रत्न-मालाम्: a garland of jewels
• रत्न-मालाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न+माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (रत्नानां माला)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• कोटि-चन्द्र-सम-प्रभाम्: having radiance equal to ten million moons
• कोटि-चन्द्र-सम-प्रभाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि+चन्द्र+सम+प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कोटिचन्द्रैः समा प्रभा यस्याः)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); (having meditated)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (should recite)

• अर्क-लक्षम्: one hundred thousand (times)
• अर्क-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क+लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अर्कस्य/सूर्यस्य लक्षम् = 100,000)

• पायसेन: with sweet rice (payasa)
• पायसेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; (with payasa/sweet rice)

• दशांशतः: as one-tenth (as offering)
• दशांशतः: Sambandha (परिमाण/विधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); (as a tenth/at the rate of one-tenth)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Arka (Sun/Surya)
• Devi (radiant goddess, dhyāna-form)

FAQs

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

It links inner contemplation (dhyāna) with disciplined mantra practice (japa) and its ritual sealing (homa), presenting a complete upāsanā method where visualization, repetition, and offering work together.

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

Bhakti appears here as focused reverence through dhyāna on a luminous divine form and sustained mantra-japa, culminating in an offering that expresses surrender and gratitude through ritual action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects prayoga-style ritual science: a fixed japa-saṅkhyā (one lakh) and the standard daśāṁśa rule (10% homa relative to japa), plus the use of a specific havis (pāyasa) for oblations.