Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

यथाचारं प्रकुर्वीत पाणावग्नौ च वा द्विज । नह्यग्निर्दूरगः कार्यः पार्वणे समुपस्थिते ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

yathācāraṃ prakurvīta pāṇāvagnau ca vā dvija | nahyagnirdūragaḥ kāryaḥ pārvaṇe samupasthite || 51 ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜ! ਆਚਾਰ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ—ਹੱਥ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਗਨੀ ਨਾਲ ਜਾਂ ਯਜ੍ਞਾਗਨੀ ਨਾਲ। ਜਦੋਂ ਪਾਰਵਣ ਕਰਮ ਆ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ, ਅਗਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਦੂਰ ਰੱਖਣਾ ਜਾਂ ਦੂਰੋਂ ਮੰਗਵਾਉਣਾ ਠੀਕ ਨਹੀਂ।

Word by Word

• यथा: according as
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb ‘as/according to’)

• आचारम्: custom/established practice
• आचारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); आत्मनेपद

• पाणौ: in the hand/palm
• पाणौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

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

• द्विज: O twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative/8th), एकवचन (singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/for)

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• दूरगः: far away/remote
• दूरगः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् अग्निः-शब्दस्य

• कार्यः: to be arranged/required
• कार्यः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative) ‘to be made/required’

• पार्वणे: at the parva (periodic śrāddha occasion)
• पार्वणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• समुपस्थिते: when it has arrived/when present
• समुपस्थिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उप + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter); ‘when (it) has arrived/present’—agreeing with पार्वणे

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Parvaṇa (parvaṇa-rite; commonly parvaṇa-śrāddha context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

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

It emphasizes śāstric ācāra—performing ancestral/Parvaṇa rites with disciplined proximity to Agni, symbolizing attentiveness, purity, and uninterrupted ritual efficacy.

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

While primarily ritual, it supports bhakti through reverent precision: honoring sacred procedure and Agni as a divine witness cultivates humility and devotion in action (karma offered with faith).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (Vedāṅga of ritual procedure) is implied—proper arrangement and immediacy of the sacrificial fire during parvaṇa/śrāddha observances according to established ācāra.