Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Bhuvaneśī (Nidrā-Śakti) Mantra-vidhi, Nyāsa–Āvaraṇa Worship, Padma-homa Prayogas, and the Opening of Śrī-Mahālakṣmī Upāsanā

Devanagari script

अंगानि केसरेष्वेताः पश्चात्पत्रेषु पूजयेत् । अनंगकुसुमा पश्चाद्द्वितीयानंगमेखला ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

aṃgāni kesareṣvetāḥ paścātpatreṣu pūjayet | anaṃgakusumā paścāddvitīyānaṃgamekhalā || 36 ||

Translation

Hendaklah dipuja para aṅga-devatā ini terlebih dahulu pada kesara (filamen), kemudian pada kelopak. Sesudah itu datang Anaṅgakusumā, dan seterusnya yang kedua bernama Anaṅgamekhalā.

Word by Word

• अङ्गानि: limbs/parts
• अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन — neuter nominative/accusative plural (context: objects to be placed/worshipped)

• केसरेषु: in the filaments
• केसरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन — masculine locative plural

• एताः: these (goddesses)
• एताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — feminine nominative plural (pronoun)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रम-वाचक — indeclinable adverb ‘afterwards’

• पत्रेषु: in the petals
• पत्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन — neuter locative plural

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — should worship

• अनङ्ग-कुसुमा: Anaṅgakusumā (name of a Śakti)
• अनङ्ग-कुसुमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अनङ्गस्य कुसुमा) — feminine nominative singular (name)

• पश्चात्: thereafter
• पश्चात्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम-वाचक — indeclinable ‘after that’

• द्वितीया: the second
• द्वितीया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण — feminine nominative singular ‘second’

• अनङ्ग-मेखला: Anaṅgamekhalā (name of a Śakti)
• अनङ्ग-मेखला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अनङ्गस्य मेखला) — feminine nominative singular (name)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical/ritual exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Anaṅgakusumā
• Anaṅgamekhalā

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is strengthened by orderly worship—placing the aṅgas in a precise sequence (filaments first, then petals), so the offering becomes disciplined, attentive, and mantra-aligned.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as careful upacāra: honoring each aṅga in its proper locus and order, showing reverence through methodical worship rather than haste or improvisation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical procedure (kalpa-style practice): spatial placement and sequencing in pūjā (kesara vs. patra), akin to structured aṅga/nyāsa arrangements used to standardize worship.