Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

Kalpa-Lakṣaṇa and Gṛhya-Kalpa: Classifications, Purifications, Implements, and Spatial Rite-Design

Devanagari script

हस्तोन्मितं स्रुवं शस्तं त्रिदशाङ्गुलिकं स्रुचम् । विप्राणां चैतदाख्यातं ह्यन्येषामङ्गुलोनकम् ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

hastonmitaṃ sruvaṃ śastaṃ tridaśāṅgulikaṃ srucam | viprāṇāṃ caitadākhyātaṃ hyanyeṣāmaṅgulonakam || 41 ||

Translation

สฺรุวะกำหนดให้ยาวหนึ่งหัตถะ และสฺรุจกำหนดให้ยาวสามสิบองคุลี มาตรานี้กล่าวไว้สำหรับพราหมณ์; สำหรับผู้อื่นให้ลดลงหนึ่งองคุลี

Word by Word

• हस्त-उन्मितम्: hand-measured
• हस्त-उन्मितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of स्रुवम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्मित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उन्मा/मा धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (करण/मापनेन सम्बन्धः: ‘हस्तेन उन्मितम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘measured by a hand’

• स्रुवम्: the sruva ladle
• स्रुवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—understood with ‘(इति) शस्तम्/आख्यातम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘sruva’ (ladle)

• शस्तम्: is prescribed/commended
• शस्तम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंस् (धातु) + त (कृत्) → शस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘praised/approved/prescribed’

• त्रिदश-अङ्गुलिकम्: thirty-finger-breadths long
• त्रिदश-अङ्गुलिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of स्रुचम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिदश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रिंशदङ्गुलि-परिमाणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘of thirty finger-breadths’

• स्रुचम्: the sruc spoon
• स्रुचम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—understood with ‘(इति) शस्तम्/आख्यातम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रुच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘sruc’ (spoon/ladle)

• विप्राणाम्: of Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of brāhmaṇas’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object—of आख्यातम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘this’

• आख्यातम्: has been declared
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु) + त (कृत्) → आख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ‘has been stated/declared’

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: causal/emphatic ‘indeed/for’)

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• अन्येषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of others’

• अङ्गुल-ऊनकम्: (it is) one finger-breadth less
• अङ्गुल-ऊनकम्: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मात्रा-न्यूनता: ‘अङ्गुल्या ऊनकम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘short by a finger-breadth’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that precision in sacred action (karma) is itself a form of dharma—ritual correctness disciplines the mind and supports purity, which is foundational for mokṣa-oriented living.

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

While not directly teaching bhakti, it supports devotional worship by insisting on proper ritual standards; careful preparation of offerings and tools is treated as respectful service to the divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/Śrauta-ritual procedure and traditional measurement science (aṅgula, hasta) are highlighted—defining standard sizes for the sruva and sruc used in offerings.