Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 164

Hanūmaccarita

The Account of Hanumān

Devanagari script

शेफालीस्तबकमथो जलं च तत्रविन्यस्य प्रथमत एव तोयशुद्धिम् । कृत्वाथो मृदुतरं सूक्ष्मवस्त्रखण्डेनावेष्टेत्सृणिकमुखं च सूक्ष्मचन्द्रम् ॥ १६४ ॥

Transliteration

śephālīstabakamatho jalaṃ ca tatravinyasya prathamata eva toyaśuddhim | kṛtvātho mṛdutaraṃ sūkṣmavastrakhaṇḍenāveṣṭetsṛṇikamukhaṃ ca sūkṣmacandram || 164 ||

Translation

ครั้นวางช่อดอกเศฟาลีและน้ำไว้ ณ ที่นั้น ให้ทำการชำระน้ำเป็นอันดับแรก แล้วใช้ผ้าละเอียดอ่อนนุ่มยิ่งพัน (เครื่องประกอบพิธี) และปิดปากศฤณิกา รวมทั้ง ‘จันทร์อันละเอียด’ ด้วย

Word by Word

• शेफालीस्तबकम्: a cluster of śephālī flowers
• शेफालीस्तबकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेफाली (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तबक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (शेफाल्याः स्तबकः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथो: then
• अथो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय) + उ (निपात)
• Form: निपात (then/and then)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• विन्यस्य: having placed/arranged
• विन्यस्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग) + अस्/स्य (धातु √अस्?; here √न्यस् from √अस्/√सद not; standard: वि-नि-√अस्? actually √न्यस्/√अस् is irregular)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; causative sense “having placed/arranged” (from √न्यस्/√अस् ‘to place’)

• प्रथमतः: first
• प्रथमतः: Krama (क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथमतः (अव्यय; प्रथमा + तस्)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (firstly)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis/only)

• तोयशुद्धिम्: purification of water
• तोयशुद्धिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तोयस्य शुद्धिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; “having done”

• अथो: then
• अथो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय) + उ (निपात)
• Form: निपात (then)

• मृदुतरम्: softer/very soft
• मृदुतरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदुतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (softer)

• सूक्ष्मवस्त्रखण्डेन: with a piece of fine cloth
• सूक्ष्मवस्त्रखण्डेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सूक्ष्मस्य वस्त्रस्य खण्डः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आवेष्टेत्: should wrap
• आवेष्टेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोगभेद (here: परस्मैपद रूपम्)

• सृणिकमुखम्: the mouth/opening of the sṛṇikā (vessel)
• सृणिकमुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृणिक (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सृणिकस्य मुखम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• सूक्ष्मचन्द्रम्: a small ‘moon’ (moon-shaped item/ornament)
• सूक्ष्मचन्द्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (सूक्ष्मः चन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Śephālī (flower)
• Toya (water)
• Sṛṇikā

FAQs

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

It emphasizes śauca (ritual purity) as the foundation of any sacred act: purification of water and careful preparation of implements are treated as spiritual disciplines that steady the mind and make the offering fit for worship.

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

Bhakti is expressed through meticulous, reverent preparation—arranging flowers and pure water and keeping ritual items clean—showing that devotion is not only emotion but also disciplined service (sevā) in worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and purity protocol (a Vedanga-adjacent technical discipline): toya-śuddhi (water purification), vinyāsa (proper placement), and the use of fine cloth to cover/wrap implements to maintain cleanliness and correctness in the rite.