Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

प्रभूतं विमलं शारं समाराध्यमनंतरम् । परमादिमुखं मध्ये खबिंबांतं प्रपूजयेत् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

prabhūtaṃ vimalaṃ śāraṃ samārādhyamanaṃtaram | paramādimukhaṃ madhye khabiṃbāṃtaṃ prapūjayet || 23 ||

Translation

பின்னர் உடனே ஆராதிக்கத் தக்க, மிகுந்து விளங்கும், மாசற்ற, சாரத் தத்துவத்தைப் பூஜிக்க வேண்டும்; அதன் பரம ஆதிமுகம் நடுவில் நிறுவப்பட்டு, ஆகாயமண்டலத்தின் பிம்ப எல்லை வரை விரிந்துள்ளது।

Word by Word

• प्रभूतम्: abundant, great
• प्रभूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg, adjective)

• विमलम्: pure, spotless
• विमलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• शारम्: excellent, best (essence-like)
• शारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• समाराध्यम्: to be duly worshipped
• समाराध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → समाराध्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘समाराधनीयम्’ (fit to be worshipped)

• अनन्तरम्: immediate; without interval
• अनन्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• परम-आदि-मुखम्: having the supreme as the first face / supreme-beginning-faced
• परम-आदि-मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘परमः आदिः यस्य मुखम्’/‘परमादि-रूपं मुखं’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• ख-बिम्ब-अन्तम्: ending in the sky-disc / having the sky-orb as the end
• ख-बिम्ब-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक) + बिम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘खस्य बिम्बस्य अन्तः’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘he should worship’

Speaker

Narada (in instruction/dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It directs the practitioner to worship the pure, essential Supreme Reality as both immediately accessible and cosmically all-pervading—centered within the contemplative ‘middle’ yet extending to the celestial sphere.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as focused upāsanā: reverent worship of the Supreme in a concrete contemplative form (‘face’/manifest aspect) while remembering its vast, stainless, essential nature.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a technical upāsanā/ritual-visualization instruction—centering (madhye) and cosmic mapping (kha-bimba)—typical of Vedanga-adjacent procedural guidance used in worship and meditative rites.