Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रधरो यस्तु तुलसीमूलमृत्स्नया । गोपिकाचन्दनेनापि चित्रकूटमृदापि वा । गङ्गामृत्तिकया चैव तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु ॥ २६ ॥
ūrdhvapuṇḍradharo yastu tulasīmūlamṛtsnayā | gopikācandanenāpi citrakūṭamṛdāpi vā | gaṅgāmṛttikayā caiva tasya puṇyaphalaṃ śṛṇu || 26 ||
جو شخص تُلسی کی جڑ کی پاک مٹی سے، یا گوپی چندن سے، یا چترکوٹ کی مٹی سے، یا گنگا کی مقدس مِٹّی سے اُردھوا پُنڈْر دھارتا ہے—اس کے پُنّیہ پھل کو سنو۔
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that wearing the ūrdhva-puṇḍra (Vaiṣṇava tilaka) using sanctified substances connected with bhakti and tīrthas—Tulasī, Gopī-candana, Citrakūṭa, and Gaṅgā—produces specific religious merit and marks the devotee’s identity as dedicated to Viṣṇu.
Bhakti is expressed through embodied practice: the devotee outwardly bears a sacred mark made from devotional and tīrtha-associated earth, signaling surrender and remembrance of Viṣṇu as part of daily conduct, not only inner feeling.
Ritual application (kalpa/prayoga) is implied: the verse specifies approved materials for tilaka (mṛtsnā/mṛttikā), reflecting procedural dharma—what substances are fit for a Vaiṣṇava mark and how tīrtha-sanctified elements are used in practice.