Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

कण्टकावरणं यस्तु प्राकारं वापि कारयेत् । सोऽप्येकविंशतिकुलैर्मोदते विष्णुमन्दिरे ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

kaṇṭakāvaraṇaṃ yastu prākāraṃ vāpi kārayet | so'pyekaviṃśatikulairmodate viṣṇumandire || 32 ||

Translation

جو حفاظت کے لیے کانٹوں کی باڑ یا چاروں طرف کی فصیل بنواتا ہے، وہ اکیس نسلوں سمیت وشنو کے مندر میں مسرور ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• कण्टकावरणम्: a thorn-fence / thorn covering
• कण्टकावरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक-आवरण (प्रातिपदिक; कण्टक + आवरण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कण्टकानाम् आवरणम्)

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• प्राकारम्: a wall / rampart
• प्राकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ-निपात (also/even)

• कारयेत्: should cause (it) to be made
• कारयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative) — ‘कारयति’ (to cause to be made)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अन्वय-सर्वनाम (correlative pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ-निपात (also/even)

• एकविंशतिकुलैः: with (his) twenty-one lineages/families
• एकविंशतिकुलैः: Sahacarya/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकविंशति-कुल (प्रातिपदिक; एकविंशति + कुल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (एकविंशतेः कुलानि)

• मोदते: rejoices
• मोदते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विष्णुमन्दिरे: in Vishnu’s temple/abode
• विष्णुमन्दिरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु-मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + मन्दिर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः मन्दिरम्)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that serving and safeguarding a Viṣṇu temple through practical protection (fence or enclosure) is a powerful act of dharma that yields divine joy in Viṣṇu’s abode, extending the merit to one’s lineage.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as tangible seva: enabling worship to continue safely by protecting the sacred space. The verse frames devotional service not only as prayer but also as supporting the temple’s functioning and sanctity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practice and temple protocol (kalpa-oriented dharma) is implied: maintaining boundaries and protection for a shrine is treated as a meritorious religious act supporting orderly worship.