Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Dīpa-vidhi-vyākhyānam

Procedure for Lamp-Offering to Hanumān

Devanagari script

पलद्वयं तु प्रसृतं द्विगुणं कुडवं मतम् । चतुर्भिः कुडवैः प्रस्थस्तैश्चतुर्भिस्तथाढकः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

paladvayaṃ tu prasṛtaṃ dviguṇaṃ kuḍavaṃ matam | caturbhiḥ kuḍavaiḥ prasthastaiścaturbhistathāḍhakaḥ || 16 ||

Translation

二个 pala 称为一“prasṛta”，其倍量称为“kuḍava”。四个 kuḍava 为一“prastha”，四个 prastha 同样为一“āḍhaka”。

Word by Word

• पल-द्वयम्: two palas
• पल-द्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (two palas)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (particle ‘indeed/but’)

• प्रसृतम्: a prasṛta (measure)
• प्रसृतम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मानविशेषः (a unit ‘prasṛta’)

• द्वि-गुणम्: double
• द्वि-गुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विगुण = double)

• कुडवम्: a kuḍava (measure)
• कुडवम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मानविशेषः (kuḍava measure)

• मतम्: is considered
• मतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is considered/held (to be)’

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• कुडवैः: by/with kuḍavas
• कुडवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• प्रस्थः: a prastha
• प्रस्थः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मानविशेषः (prastha measure)

• तैः: with those
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (adverb ‘thus/likewise’)

• आढकः: an āḍhaka
• आढकः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आढक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मानविशेषः (āḍhaka measure)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that dharma and yajña depend on precision—correct measures safeguard the integrity of offerings and ritual procedure, making practice orderly and reliable.

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

While not directly devotional, it supports bhakti-oriented worship by standardizing offerings (naivedya, dravya) so that devotion is expressed through disciplined, correct practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-style practical ritual science: a clear hierarchy of traditional units (pala → prasṛta → kuḍava → prastha → āḍhaka) used to measure materials in rites and observances.