Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Dīpa-vidhi-vyākhyānam

Procedure for Lamp-Offering to Hanumān

Devanagari script

तत्रावलंबमानां च प्रतिमां गोमयेन तु । वामहस्तेन तालाग्रं दक्षिणे ज्ञानमुद्रिका ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

tatrāvalaṃbamānāṃ ca pratimāṃ gomayena tu | vāmahastena tālāgraṃ dakṣiṇe jñānamudrikā || 77 ||

Translation

Ali deve-se moldar (ou fixar) uma imagem com esterco de vaca; na mão esquerda ela segura a ponta de uma folha de tāla, e na direita traz o gesto do conhecimento (jñāna-mudrā).

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (देशवाचक)

• āvalambamānānām: of those who are hanging/depending
• āvalambamānānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-वलम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); masculine/neuter depending on implied referent

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• pratimām: an image/figure
• pratimām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• gomayena: with cow-dung
• gomayena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• vāma-hastena: with the left hand
• vāma-hastena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय-समास

• tāla-agram: the tip/top of the palm (tree)
• tāla-agram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāla (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास

• dakṣiṇe: on the right
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); used as 'on the right (side/hand)'

• jñāna-mudrikā: the gesture/seal of knowledge
• jñāna-mudrikā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + mudrikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It prescribes the sacred form and hand-symbols of a worship-image, emphasizing purity (gomaya as a sanctifying substance) and wisdom (jñāna-mudrā) as the inner aim of the rite.

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

By giving concrete iconographic cues for an image used in upāsanā, it supports focused devotion—devotees contemplate knowledge and sacred teaching through the jñāna-mudrā and the palm-leaf attribute while performing worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical knowledge: selection of sanctifying materials (gomaya) and precise pratima-lakṣaṇa (iconographic specification), which belongs to procedural disciplines allied to Vedic practice.