Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 81

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

एवं ध्यात्वार्च्चयेद्देवं पूर्ववत्स्थिरमानसः । दध्ना गुडेन नैवेद्यं दत्वा दशशतं जपेत् ॥ ८१ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ dhyātvārccayeddevaṃ pūrvavatsthiramānasaḥ | dadhnā guḍena naivedyaṃ datvā daśaśataṃ japet || 81 ||

Translation

یوں دھیان کرکے ثابت دل کے ساتھ پہلے کی طرح پرمیشور کی پوجا کرے۔ پھر دہی اور گُڑ کا نَیویدیہ چڑھا کر منتر کا ایک ہزار بار جپ کرے۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: ‘thus/in this manner’)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having meditated’

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/रीतिवाचक (indeclinable: ‘as before’)

• स्थिर-मानसः: (one) with steady mind
• स्थिर-मानसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘स्थिरं मानसः यस्य’ (one whose mind is steady)

• दध्ना: with curd
• दध्ना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• गुडेन: with jaggery
• गुडेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• नैवेद्यम्: food offering
• नैवेद्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• दत्वा: having offered/given
• दत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having given’

• दश-शतम्: a thousand (times)
• दश-शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical compound): ‘दश शतानि’ = 1000 (a thousand)

• जपेत्: should recite (japa)
• जपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Ishvara/Vishnu as the worshipped Lord)

FAQs

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

It presents a complete upasana sequence—dhyana (inner focus), archana (formal worship), naivedya (devotional offering), and fixed-count japa—showing that devotion becomes effective when performed with steadiness and disciplined repetition.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as attentive worship: first contemplate the Lord, then worship as prescribed, offer simple sattvic food (curd and jaggery), and seal the practice with mantra-japa, emphasizing sincerity and consistency over display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual discipline and mantra-practice—counted japa (daśaśata = 1000) and proper naivedya offering—reflecting applied procedural knowledge used in Vedic-style worship traditions.