Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

बैल्वं वैश्यस्य विज्ञेय तत्प्रमाणं श्रृणुष्व मे । विप्रस्य केशमानं स्यादाललाटं नृपस्य च ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

bailvaṃ vaiśyasya vijñeya tatpramāṇaṃ śrṛṇuṣva me | viprasya keśamānaṃ syādālalāṭaṃ nṛpasya ca || 19 ||

Translation

当知：吠舍（Vaiśya）之适当尺度名为“bailva”。且听我所说其准则：婆罗门（Brāhmaṇa）量至发际；国王、刹帝利（Kṣatriya）量至额头。

Word by Word

• बैल्वम्: (the) bailva (measure/standard)
• बैल्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बैल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; name/measure (neuter)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• वैश्यस्य: of the Vaiśya
• वैश्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• विज्ञेयम्: should be known
• विज्ञेयम्: Vidhi (विधेय/आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + वि + यत्-प्रत्यय → विज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known/should be known’

• तत्-प्रमाणम्: that measure/standard
• तत्-प्रमाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun

• विप्रस्य: of the Brāhmaṇa
• विप्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• केश-मानम्: hair-length measure
• केश-मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘would be/should be’

• आ-ललाटम्: up to the forehead
• आ-ललाटम्: Desha/Avadhi (देश/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्ग ‘आ’ सहित; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘up to the forehead’ (extent)

• नृपस्य: of the king
• नृपस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada)

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 dharma through precision: correct ritual standards (pramāṇa) are part of disciplined living, aligning outward practice with inner order.

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

Indirectly—by teaching careful observance and reverence for prescribed rules, it supports sattvic discipline that steadies the mind for devotion, even though bhakti is not named here.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A Śikṣā/kalpa-type practical detail: standardized bodily/ritual measurements (pramāṇa) differentiated by social role (varṇa), such as hairline- and forehead-based measures.