Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

अष्टोत्तगरशतं दृत्वा घृतमिश्रतिलाहुतीः । पूर्वमानेन पयसा गोविन्दं स्नापयेच्छुचिः ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭottagaraśataṃ dṛtvā ghṛtamiśratilāhutīḥ | pūrvamānena payasā govindaṃ snāpayecchuciḥ || 39 ||

Translation

Sau khi dâng đủ một trăm lẻ tám lễ cúng (huti) bằng mè trộn bơ tinh khiết (ghṛta), người hành giả thanh tịnh hãy tắm (abhiṣeka) cho Govinda bằng sữa, đo theo đúng chuẩn mực đã định.

Word by Word

• अष्टोत्तर-शतम्: one hundred and eight
• अष्टोत्तर-शतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म) (संख्या-परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (count-adjective)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• घृत-मिश्र-तिल-आहुतीः: sesame oblations mixed with ghee
• घृत-मिश्र-तिल-आहुतीः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; (घृतेन मिश्राः तिलाः यस्याः सा) तिल-आहुतयः

• पूर्व-मानेन: with the prescribed measure
• पूर्व-मानेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पयसा: with milk
• पयसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) (णिच्/causative) → स्नापय (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: 'cause to bathe')

• शुचिः: pure (one)
• शुचिः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता) (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि विशेषणम् (implicit doer)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instructing Narada on Vishnu worship procedures)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It links inner purity (śuciḥ) with precise devotional action—108 ghee-sesame oblations followed by milk-abhiṣeka—showing that disciplined ritual offered to Govinda is a direct mode of bhakti.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as loving service through ordered worship: offerings (āhuti) and bathing (snāpana/abhiṣeka) of Govinda, performed with purity and according to scriptural measure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and measurement (māna)—a practical aspect of Kalpa/śrauta-smārta ritual discipline—are emphasized, indicating that correct standards matter in Vaidika-style worship.