Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स मां प्रणम्य पप्रच्छ धर्मं सर्वाथसाधकम् । अहं तस्मै तदा प्रीतः प्रावोचं धर्मसंहिताम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

sa māṃ praṇamya papraccha dharmaṃ sarvāthasādhakam | ahaṃ tasmai tadā prītaḥ prāvocaṃ dharmasaṃhitām || 3 ||

Translation

فلمّا سجد لي سأل عن الدَّرما، وهي الوسيلة التي تُنجز جميع مقاصد الحياة. فسررتُ به حينئذٍ، وبيّنتُ له «دهرما-سَمهِتا»، جامعَ أحكام الدَّرما.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), उपसर्गः प्र-; पूर्वक्रिया

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• dharmam: dharma
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• sarva-artha-sādhakam: accomplishing all aims
• sarva-artha-sādhakam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies dharmam)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; सम्प्रदानम्

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• prītaḥ: pleased
• prītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (pleased)

• prā-vocam: I declared, spoke forth
• prā-vocam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः प्र-

• dharma-saṃhitām: the compendium of dharma
• dharma-saṃhitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It highlights the classic Purāṇic method of transmission: humility (praṇāma), sincere inquiry, and the teacher’s grace—through which Dharma is taught as the comprehensive means to attain all four puruṣārthas.

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

While not naming Bhakti explicitly, the act of bowing and approaching the teacher with reverence models devotional disposition; such humility becomes the doorway to receiving dharma-instruction that ultimately supports devotion and liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes dharma-śāstra style instruction (a saṃhitā/compendium of conduct). It does not directly teach a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa, but frames the practical aim: applied dharma as a guiding discipline.