Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

Dīpa-vidhi-vyākhyānam

Procedure for Lamp-Offering to Hanumān

Devanagari script

तिलतैलं श्रियः प्राप्त्यै पथिकागमनं प्रति । अतसीतैलमुद्दिष्टं वश्यकर्मणि निश्चितम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

tilatailaṃ śriyaḥ prāptyai pathikāgamanaṃ prati | atasītailamuddiṣṭaṃ vaśyakarmaṇi niścitam || 4 ||

Translation

芝麻油被规定用于求得吉祥富足，并用于促使远行之人归来；而亚麻籽油（linseed）则被特别指出，并被认定在摄引、招致之法事（vaśya-karman）中确有功效。

Word by Word

• tila-tailam: sesame oil
• tila-tailam: Karma (कर्म/thing prescribed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक) + taila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (तिलस्य तैलम्)

• śriyaḥ: of prosperity; of Lakṣmī
• śriyaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• prāptyai: for attainment
• prāptyai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; purpose dative

• pathika-āgamanam: the coming of a traveler
• pathika-āgamanam: Karma (कर्म/aim-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathika (प्रातिपदिक) + āgamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (पथिकस्य आगमनम्)

• prati: towards; for
• prati: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), preposition-like; governs accusative; sense: 'towards/for the sake of'

• atasī-tailam: linseed (flax) oil
• atasī-tailam: Karma (कर्म/thing prescribed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atasī (प्रातिपदिक) + taila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (अतस्याः तैलम्)

• uddiṣṭam: is prescribed; is indicated
• uddiṣṭam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-diś (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (कृत्: क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate: 'is prescribed/indicated'

• vaśya-karmaṇi: in acts of subjugation/attraction
• vaśya-karmaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśya (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (वश्यं कर्म)

• niścitam: is निश्चित/settled; certain
• niścitam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√ci (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (कृत्: क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective reinforcing uddiṣṭam

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shri (Lakshmi)

FAQs

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

It classifies ritual substances by their intended results—prosperity (śrī) and specific outcomes like the return of a traveler—reflecting the text’s technical (vedāṅga-aligned) approach to applied dharma.

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

Indirectly: it shows that worldly aims (prosperity, reunion) are addressed through regulated rites, which in the Purāṇic framework are ideally performed with reverence and ethical restraint, supporting a disciplined devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Practical ritual science—selection of materials (oils) according to desired phala (result), a procedural detail aligned with kalpa-style ritual methodology found within the Narada Purana’s technical sections.