Shloka 59

Puruṣottama-kṣetra Māhātmya: Śveta-Mādhava & Matsya-Mādhava; Mārkaṇḍeya-tīrtha Mārjana and Bath Liturgy

Devanagari script

उपस्थायोर्द्धबाहुश्च तल्लिंगैभांस्करं ततः । गायत्रीं पावनीं देवीं जपेदष्टोत्तरं शतम् ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

upasthāyorddhabāhuśca talliṃgaibhāṃskaraṃ tataḥ | gāyatrīṃ pāvanīṃ devīṃ japedaṣṭottaraṃ śatam || 59 ||

Translation

Kemudian, berdiri dan mengangkat kedua-dua tangan ke atas, hendaklah memuja Bhāskara (Surya) menurut tanda-tanda yang ditetapkan. Sesudah itu, hendaklah menjapa Dewi Gāyatrī yang menyucikan sebanyak seratus lapan kali.

Word by Word

• उपस्थाय: having approached/stood near
• उपस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातुः: उपस्था (to approach/stand near)

• ऊर्ध्वबाहुः: one with arms raised
• ऊर्ध्वबाहुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūrdhva-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (ऊर्ध्वौ बाहू यस्य सः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्: with that
• तत्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (that)

• लिङ्गैः: with signs/marks (ritual gestures/indications)
• लिङ्गैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• भास्करम्: the Sun (Bhāskara)
• भास्करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्/ततः (then/thereafter)

• गायत्रीम्: Gāyatrī (mantra/deity)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पावनीम्: purifying
• पावनीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāvanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (purifying)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• अष्टोत्तरम्: (by) eight more (i.e., 108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa-uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अष्ट अधिकम् उत्तरम् = eight more)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching a ritual procedure within the Uttara-Bhaga narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhaskara (Surya)
• Gayatri

FAQs

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

It prescribes a purification-centered practice: reverence to the Sun (Bhāskara) followed by 108 recitations of Gāyatrī, presenting japa as a direct means of inner cleansing and spiritual steadiness.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined worship—honoring Bhāskara with prescribed ritual signs and then devotionally invoking Gāyatrī through repeated japa, integrating reverence, posture, and mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through bodily posture and prescribed marks, and emphasizes mantra-japa count (108), a practical discipline used across Vedic and Purāṇic rites.