Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

सुवर्णादिकृतां रम्यां शलाकां षोडशांगुलाम् । तदर्द्धां वा तदर्द्धां वा सूक्ष्माग्रां स्थूलमूलिकाम् ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

suvarṇādikṛtāṃ ramyāṃ śalākāṃ ṣoḍaśāṃgulām | tadarddhāṃ vā tadarddhāṃ vā sūkṣmāgrāṃ sthūlamūlikām || 79 ||

Translation

พึงใช้ศลาคาอันงดงามทำด้วยทองคำหรือโลหะประเสริฐอื่น ยาวสิบหกองคุลี หรือครึ่งหนึ่ง หรือครึ่งของครึ่งนั้น โดยให้ปลายเรียวแหลมละเอียดและโคนหนากว่า

Word by Word

• सुवर्ण-आदि-कृताम्: made of gold etc.
• सुवर्ण-आदि-कृताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त ‘कृत’; तत्पुरुषः (सुवर्णादिभिः कृताम् = made of gold etc.)

• रम्याम्: beautiful
• रम्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शलाकाम्: a rod/stick (probe)
• शलाकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शलाका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• षोडश-अङ्गुलाम्: sixteen-fingerbreadths long
• षोडश-अङ्गुलाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षोडश अङ्गुलाः यस्याः सा)

• तत्-अर्धाम्: half of that
• तत्-अर्धाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अर्धा = half of that)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• तत्-अर्धाम्: half of that
• तत्-अर्धाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्तिः (emphatic repetition)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• सूक्ष्म-अग्राम्: having a fine tip
• सूक्ष्म-अग्राम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सूक्ष्मम् अग्रं यस्याः सा)

• स्थूल-मूलिकाम्: having a thick base/root
• स्थूल-मूलिकाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मूलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्थूला मूलिका यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It stresses precision and purity in sacred technical acts—proper materials, correct measure (aṅgula), and careful design—so that a ritual or Vedic procedure is performed without defect.

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

Bhakti is supported by disciplined practice: when devotional rites are performed with care and correctness, the practitioner’s reverence becomes concrete through orderly, faultless action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Measurement and procedural exactness (aṅgula-based sizing and instrument design) typical of Vedanga-linked ritual/technical instruction—how to specify and prepare a tool for correct application.