Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

त्रिगुणं चेष्टकाभिस्तु शिलाभिस्तच्चतुर्गुणम् । स्फाटिकाभिः शिलाभिस्तु ज्ञेयं दशगुणोत्तरम् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

triguṇaṃ ceṣṭakābhistu śilābhistaccaturguṇam | sphāṭikābhiḥ śilābhistu jñeyaṃ daśaguṇottaram || 9 ||

Translation

若以砖砌成，其果报为三倍；若以石板成之，则为四倍；若以水晶石板成之，当知其功德增至十倍。

Word by Word

• त्रि-गुणम्: threefold
• त्रि-गुणम्: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate-nominative implied ‘(phalaṃ)’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (numeral determinative: ‘threefold’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• चेष्टकाभिः: with bricks
• चेष्टकाभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्टका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• शिलाभिः: with stones
• शिलाभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• तत्: that (result)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate-nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; deictic ‘that (result)’

• चतुर्-गुणम्: fourfold
• चतुर्-गुणम्: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate-nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (numeral determinative: ‘fourfold’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• स्फाटिकाभिः: with crystal (stones)
• स्फाटिकाभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फाटिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• शिलाभिः: with stones
• शिलाभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया) (impersonal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (gerundive, तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय (to be known)

• दश-गुण-उत्तरम्: exceeding tenfold
• दश-गुण-उत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘exceeding tenfold’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied ‘(phalaṃ)’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a didactic sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It teaches that dharmic works (like constructing a sacred structure) bear graded spiritual फल (phala) depending on the purity, durability, and sanctity of the materials used—crystal being presented as exceptionally meritorious.

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

By implying that offerings and constructions made for sacred purposes should be performed with increasing refinement and reverence; higher-quality materials symbolize deeper श्रद्धा (faith) and honor toward the deity and dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual reasoning aligned with Kalpa (procedural/ritual discipline): evaluating materials and their suitability to maximize ritual efficacy and पुण्य (merit).