Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

जप्तां प्रतिष्ठितप्राणां भक्षयेद्रविवासरे । वशं नयति राजानं नारीं वा नरमेव च ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

japtāṃ pratiṣṭhitaprāṇāṃ bhakṣayedravivāsare | vaśaṃ nayati rājānaṃ nārīṃ vā narameva ca || 48 ||

Translation

ଯାହା ଉପରେ ଜପ କରାଯାଇଛି ଏବଂ ଯାହାରେ ପ୍ରାଣପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠା କରାଯାଇଛି, ତାହାକୁ ରବିବାର ଦିନ ଭକ୍ଷଣ କର। ତେଣୁ ରାଜା ହେଉ କି ନାରୀ କିମ୍ବା ନର—ବଶ ହୁଏ॥୪୮॥

Word by Word

• जप्ताम्: chanted/recited
• जप्ताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिष्ठित-प्राणाम्: having life-breath infused/established
• प्रतिष्ठित-प्राणाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिष्ठित (प्रति-√स्था + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: प्रतिष्ठिताः प्राणाः यस्याम् (whose life-breaths are established/infused); Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भक्षयेत्: should eat/consume
• भक्षयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Optative, 3rd person singular

• रवि-वासरे: on the day of Ravi (Sunday)
• रवि-वासरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी-अधिकरण; तत्पुरुषः: रवेर् वासरे (on Sunday); Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वशम्: control, subjection
• वशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नयति: leads/brings
• नयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Present, 3rd person singular

• राजानम्: a king
• राजानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नारीम्: a woman
• नारीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• नरम्: a man
• नरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Surya)

FAQs

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

It presents a technical mantra-prayoga principle: japa empowered with prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā and timed to a specific weekday is said to produce a concrete, worldly result—showing how ritual power (mantra-śakti) is framed within the Purana’s applied sciences.

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

The verse is not primarily bhakti-oriented; it reflects prayoga-focused ritualism. In a broader Narada Purana lens, such acts are considered secondary (artha/kāma-oriented) compared to sāttvika worship and Vishnu-bhakti aimed at purification and moksha.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual timing connected to calendrical/astrological reckoning (weekday—Ravivāra) and mantra procedure (japa plus prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā), aligning with Vedāṅga concerns like Jyotiṣa (timing) and Kalpa (ritual method).