Shloka 2

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

पुरं विलिख्य विधिजेतीरे तस्य महोदधेः । मध्ये तत्र लिखेत्पद्मष्टपत्रं सकर्णिकम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

puraṃ vilikhya vidhijetīre tasya mahodadheḥ | madhye tatra likhetpadmaṣṭapatraṃ sakarṇikam || 2 ||

Translation

ఆ మహాసముద్ర తీరంలో విధిగా పవిత్ర ‘పురం’ (ఆవరణం) చిత్రించి, దాని మధ్యలో కర్ణికతో కూడిన ఎనిమిది రేకుల పద్మాన్ని గీయవలెను।

Word by Word

• पुरम्: a city/fort (diagram)
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विलिख्य: having drawn
• विलिख्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having drawn/inscribed’

• विधि-जे: on Brahmā’s (i.e., sacred)
• विधि-जे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विधेः जः = ब्रह्मा), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीरे: on the bank/shore
• तीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महा-उदधेः: of the great ocean
• महा-उदधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• लिखेत्: should draw
• लिखेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पद्म-अष्टपत्रम्: a lotus with eight petals
• पद्म-अष्टपत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अष्ट पत्राणि यस्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स-कर्णिकम्: with a pericarp (center)
• स-कर्णिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह कर्णिकया), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahodadhi (great ocean)

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the worship-space by prescribing a ritually bounded area and a lotus-maṇḍala, symbolizing purity and an ordered cosmos where the deity is invoked at the center.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through careful preparation of the worship-field—drawing the enclosure and lotus as an act of reverent service (seva) done “according to rule” (vidhi).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual procedure and precise layout (a kalpa-style application): measuring/inscribing a mandala and placing the central karnikā, reflecting technical discipline used in pūjā and vrata observances.