Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 138

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

पृष्टे लक्ष्मणमभ्यर्च्य षट्कोणेष्वंगपूजनम् । पत्रेषु मंत्रिमुख्यंश्च बाह्ये लोकेश्वरान्पुनः ॥ १३८ ॥

Transliteration

pṛṣṭe lakṣmaṇamabhyarcya ṣaṭkoṇeṣvaṃgapūjanam | patreṣu maṃtrimukhyaṃśca bāhye lokeśvarānpunaḥ || 138 ||

Translation

ต่อจากนั้นให้บูชาพระลักษมณ์ด้านหลัง แล้วทำอังคบูชาในรูปสามเหลี่ยมหกส่วน; บนกลีบดอกบูชามุขยมนตรี และที่วงนอกบูชาพระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งโลกทั้งหลายอีกครั้ง

Word by Word

• पृष्टे: at the back/behind
• पृष्टे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणम्: Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• षट्कोणेषु: in the six-angled sections
• षट्कोणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षट् कोणाः यस्य/षट्कोणाः = hexagons/hexagonal sections)

• अङ्गपूजनम्: worship of the ancillary parts
• अङ्गपूजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अङ्गानां पूजनम् = worship of the limbs/auxiliaries)

• पत्रेषु: on the petals/leaves
• पत्रेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), बहुवचन

• मंत्रिमुख्यान्: the chief mantra(-deities)/principal ministers
• मंत्रिमुख्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (मंत्रिणां मुख्याः = chief ministers/primary mantra-deities)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination conjunction)

• बाह्ये: in the outer (area)
• बाह्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन; ‘बाह्य-प्रदेशे’ (outer area)

• लोकेश्वरान्: the lords of the worlds
• लोकेश्वरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य ईश्वराः = lords of the worlds)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a procedural, technical-ritual context to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Lokeśvara (Lords of the worlds)

FAQs

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

It teaches a graded worship: inner deity-focus, then auxiliary limbs, then attendant powers, and finally cosmic governors—showing how devotion expands from the personal to the universal order.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined, reverent service (pūjā) with proper placement—honoring the Lord’s attendants and cosmic functions as part of a complete devotional offering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical organization of worship (aṅga-pūjā, enclosure-based placement on petals/outer rings), aligning mantra and deity-seating—skills associated with applied kalpa-style procedure.