Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Dharmopadeśa-Śānti: Rules of Impurity, Expiations, and Ancestor Rites

Devanagari script

त्रिपादे तु शिखावर्तं मूले सर्वं समाचरेत् । सर्वान्केशान्समुद्धृत्य छेदयेदङ्गुलद्वयम् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

tripāde tu śikhāvartaṃ mūle sarvaṃ samācaret | sarvānkeśānsamuddhṛtya chedayedaṅguladvayam || 50 ||

Translation

سر کے تیسرے حصے میں شِکھا کے ورت کو جڑ میں ٹھیک طرح قائم کرے۔ تمام بال سمیٹ کر دو انگلی کے اندازے کے مطابق کاٹ دے (اتنا چھوڑ دے)۔

Word by Word

• tri-pāde: on the three-footed (part)
• tri-pāde: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-pāda (प्रातिपदिक; tri + pāda)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); द्विगुसमास

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• śikhā-āvartam: the hair-tuft swirl/whorl (śikhā-āvarta)
• śikhā-āvartam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā-āvarta (प्रातिपदिक; śikhā + āvarta)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular); कर्म (object)

• mūle: at the root/base
• mūle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); अधिकरण (locative)

• sarvam: all/entire
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective) qualifying (implicit) karma

• samācaret: should perform
• samācaret: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√car (चर्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; विधि—‘should perform/practise’

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (adjective) qualifying keśān

• keśān: hairs
• keśān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (plural); कर्म (object)

• samuddhṛtya: having uprooted/removed
• samuddhṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-√dhṛ (धृ) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); पूर्वक्रिया—‘having pulled up/removed’

• chedayet: should cut
• chedayet: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (छिद्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; ‘should cut’

• aṅgula-dvayam: two finger-breadths
• aṅgula-dvayam: Karma (कर्म/object/extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgula-dvaya (प्रातिपदिक; aṅgula + dvaya)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular); प्रमाण/परिमाण (measure as object/extent)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (in instruction to Nārada, within Śikṣā/ritual hair-regulation context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It emphasizes outer discipline (bahir-niyama) as a support for inner purity—maintaining the śikhā and prescribed hair-length is treated as part of dharma and saṃskāra-based conduct.

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

While not directly about bhakti, it supports devotional life by prescribing orderly, sāttvika conduct; such bodily discipline is presented as conducive to mantra-japa, worship, and steady religious practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (a Vedāṅga) and ritual procedure are implied—this is a technical rule about correct bodily/ritual preparation that traditionally accompanies Vedic recitation and observance.