Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

नदीतीरे च गोष्ठे वा जपेल्लक्षं पयोब्रतः । पायसेनाज्ययुक्तेन हुत्वा विद्यानिधिर्भवेत् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

nadītīre ca goṣṭhe vā japellakṣaṃ payobrataḥ | pāyasenājyayuktena hutvā vidyānidhirbhavet || 26 ||

Translation

持守乳戒（payovrata）者，当于河岸或牛舍中诵持真言十万遍；复以酥油（ghee）和合乳粥（pāyasa）作火供，则成就为圣智（vidyā）之宝藏。

Word by Word

• नदी-तीरे: on the river-bank
• नदी-तीरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; नदी-सम्बन्धि तीरम् (locative)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोष्ठे: in a cowshed/cow-pen
• गोष्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (locative)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

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

• लक्षम्: a hundred thousand (times)
• लक्षम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (object of counting)

• पयः-व्रतः: one observing a milk-vow
• पयः-व्रतः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; पयः-आहारव्रतवान् (one observing a milk-vow)

• पायसेन: with rice-pudding
• पायसेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instrumental)

• आज्य-युक्तेन: mixed with ghee
• आज्य-युक्तेन: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; आज्येन युक्तम् (mixed with ghee)

• हुत्वा: having offered (into fire)
• हुत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• विद्या-निधिः: a treasure of knowledge
• विद्या-निधिः: कर्ता-सम्बन्धी फल (Result predicate/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विद्यायाः निधिः (treasure of knowledge)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Payovrata (milk-vow)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined sādhanā model—vrata (dietary vow), lakṣa-japa (large-count repetition), and homa (fire-offering)—as a means to stabilize and deepen vidyā (sacred/technical knowledge) until it becomes firmly established in the practitioner.

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

Though framed as a technical rite, it reflects bhakti through austerity, purity, and sustained mantra practice; the reverent offering (homa) and self-restraint (payovrata) embody devotional commitment that supports mantra efficacy.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights practical ritual science—counted mantra-japa (lakṣa), prescribed vratas, and homa-dravya selection (pāyasa with ājya)—typical of Vedāṅga-aligned procedural instruction (kalpa/ritual method).