Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 80

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

नमो दामोदरायेति स्नापयेद्भक्तिभावतः । अष्टोत्तरशतं हुत्वा मघ्वाज्याक्ततिलाहुतीः ॥ ८० ॥

Transliteration

namo dāmodarāyeti snāpayedbhaktibhāvataḥ | aṣṭottaraśataṃ hutvā maghvājyāktatilāhutīḥ || 80 ||

Translation

“ନମୋ ଦାମୋଦରାୟ” ମନ୍ତ୍ର ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ କରି ଭକ୍ତିଭାବରେ ପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କ ମୂର୍ତ୍ତିକୁ ସ୍ନାନ କରାଇବ; ପରେ ଘିଅ ଲେପିତ ତିଳର ୧୦୮ ଆହୁତି ଅଗ୍ନିରେ ଦେଇ ବିଧି ସମାପ୍ତ କରିବ।

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक निपात (particle of salutation)

• दामोदराय: to Dāmodara
• दामोदराय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• इति: thus (saying)
• इति: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (the deity)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: ‘cause to bathe’)

• भक्तिभावतः: out of devotional feeling
• भक्तिभावतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययवत् (from/with devotional feeling)

• अष्टोत्तरशतम्: one hundred and eight
• अष्टोत्तरशतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (108)

• हुत्वा: having offered (into fire)
• हुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having offered)

• मघु: honey
• मघु: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पाठे ‘मघ्व-’ इति संधि/लिप्यन्तरदोषः—मधु)

• आज्य: ghee
• आज्य: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आक्त: smeared/anointed
• आक्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आ+√अञ्ज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (smeared/anointed)

• तिलाहुतीः: sesame oblations
• तिलाहुतीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तिलानां आहुतयः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Padmanābha-vrata / Dāmodara worship (contextual continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Damodara
• Vishnu
• Agni

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion (bhakti-bhāva) is central: the outer rite—bathing the deity and offering 108 ghee-smeared sesame oblations—becomes spiritually potent when performed while remembering and saluting Dāmodara.

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

Bhakti is shown as both remembrance and service: the mantra “namo dāmodarāya” expresses surrender, while snāpana (ritual bathing) and homa (offerings) express loving worship performed with heartfelt intent.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual discipline and mantra-prayoga: the counted offering of 108 āhutis into Agni and the specified substance (tila with ghee) reflect structured yajña procedure (kalpa-oriented practice) used in Purāṇic vrata-vidhi.