Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

दधतं गजवक्त्रं च रक्तभूषांबरं भजेत् । ध्यात्वैवं प्रजपेत्तर्कलक्षं द्रव्यैर्दशांशतः ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

dadhataṃ gajavaktraṃ ca raktabhūṣāṃbaraṃ bhajet | dhyātvaivaṃ prajapettarkalakṣaṃ dravyairdaśāṃśataḥ || 68 ||

Translation

గజవక్త్రము ధరించి, ఎర్రని ఆభరణములు మరియు వస్త్రములతో అలంకృతుడైన దేవుని భజించి ఆరాధించాలి. ఈ విధంగా ధ్యానించి లక్ష జపము చేయాలి; తగిన ద్రవ్యములతో దశాంశమును హోమముగా అర్పించాలి।

Word by Word

• दधतम्: bearing, holding
• दधतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √धा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• गज-वक्त्रम्: elephant-face (Ganesha-faced)
• गज-वक्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘elephant-face’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

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

• रक्त-भूषा-अम्बरम्: wearing red ornaments and garments
• रक्त-भूषा-अम्बरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषा (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (descriptive determinative: ‘red-ornament-garment’ i.e., adorned with red garments/ornaments), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• भजेत्: should worship/serve
• भजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having meditated’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• प्रजपेत्: should recite (softly)
• प्रजपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• तर्क-लक्षम्: a lakh measure/number (tarkalakṣa)
• तर्क-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative; here ‘tarka’ as qualifier—exact sense context-dependent), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• द्रव्यैः: with substances/offerings
• द्रव्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• दशांशतः: as a tenth part
• दशांशतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘by the tenth-part / as a tithe’

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Vedanga/ritual-technical section, traditionally framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It teaches a complete upāsanā sequence—iconic meditation (dhyāna), disciplined mantra-japa (lakṣa count), and completion by a proportional offering (daśāṁśa), emphasizing inner focus supported by correct ritual closure.

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

Bhakti is expressed through attentive visualization of the deity’s form (elephant-faced, red attire), followed by steady repetition of the mantra; devotion is made tangible through an offering that seals the vow-like practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa-style procedural discipline: prescribed dhyāna, a fixed japa-saṅkhyā (lakṣa), and the daśāṁśa completion principle (offering one-tenth), which are core technical norms for mantra-sādhanā.