Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala

Devanagari script

अग्नये कव्यवाहनाय स्वधा नम इतीह वा । स्वाहांतेनापि वा प्राज्ञो जुहुयात्पितृयज्ञवत् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

agnaye kavyavāhanāya svadhā nama itīha vā | svāhāṃtenāpi vā prājño juhuyātpitṛyajñavat || 49 ||

Translation

ଏଠାରେ ପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ପିତୃଯଜ୍ଞ ପରି ଆହୁତି ଦେବ—‘କବ୍ୟବାହନ ଅଗ୍ନିଙ୍କୁ ସ୍ୱଧା ସହିତ ନମଃ’ ବୋଲି; କିମ୍ବା ‘ସ୍ୱାହା’ ଶେଷ ଥିବା ମନ୍ତ୍ରରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆହୁତି ଦେଇପାରିବ।

Word by Word

• अग्नये: to Agni
• अग्नये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (dative/4th), एकवचन (singular)

• कव्यवाहनाय: to Kavyavāhana (Agni as carrier of offerings to ancestors)
• कव्यवाहनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कव्य + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (dative/4th), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘कव्यं वहति’ (epithet of Agni)

• स्वधा: svadhā
• स्वधा: Mantra (मन्त्र/उच्चारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: मन्त्रपद/निपातवत् अव्यय (ritual exclamation)

• नमः: obeisance
• नमः: Mantra (मन्त्र/उच्चारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः (mantric interjection)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (or)

• स्वाहान्तेन: with (a formula) ending in ‘svāhā’
• स्वाहान्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाहा + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वाहायाः अन्तः’ = ending with ‘svāhā’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (or)

• प्राज्ञः: the wise man
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• जुहुयात्: should offer (into fire)
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद

• पितृयज्ञवत्: as in the Pitṛ-yajña
• पितृयज्ञवत्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पितृयज्ञ + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: वतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial ‘like/as’); आधारसमासः ‘पितॄणां यज्ञः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sage Narada (teaching ritual procedure, traditionally in dialogue context with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It teaches correct intention and mantra-form for offerings meant for the Pitṛs: Agni as Kavyavāhana is the sacred conduit, and using svadhā (or svāhā as an allowed alternative) sanctifies the act as true pitṛyajña.

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

Though primarily ritual, it reflects bhakti through reverent surrender—offering with prescribed mantras and humility (“namaḥ”) aligns one’s actions with dharma, which supports purity and steadiness for devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-prayoga and yajña procedure—choosing the correct ending formula (svadhā for Pitṛ rites, with svāhā also permitted here), a topic linked to Kalpa (Vedāṅga of ritual).