Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

The Exposition of the Index (Anukramaṇī) of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata

Devanagari script

गजेंद्रमोक्षणाख्यानं मन्वंतरनिरूपणे । समुद्रमथनं चैव बलिवैभवबंधनम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

gajeṃdramokṣaṇākhyānaṃ manvaṃtaranirūpaṇe | samudramathanaṃ caiva balivaibhavabaṃdhanam || 14 ||

Translation

وفي بيان المَنونتَرات (Manvantaras) تَرِدُ قصة خلاص جَجِندرا، وحادثة خَضِّ المحيط، وكذلك خبر بالي: مجده وعِظَمُ شأنه ثم تقييده (كبحه).

Word by Word

• गजेन्द्र-मोक्षण-आख्यानम्: the narrative of Gajendra's liberation
• गजेन्द्र-मोक्षण-आख्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; √मुच् (धातु) से भाव) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गजेन्द्रस्य मोक्षणस्य आख्यानम्)

• मन्वन्तर-निरूपणे: in the exposition of the Manvantaras
• मन्वन्तर-निरूपणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मन्वन्तरस्य निरूपणम्)

• समुद्र-मथनम्: the churning of the ocean
• समुद्र-मथनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मथन (प्रातिपदिक; √मथ् (धातु) से भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (समुद्रस्य मथनम्)

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

• एव: indeed, also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• बलि-वैभव-बंधनम्: the binding (curbing) of Bali's grandeur
• बलि-वैभव-बंधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + वैभव (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक; √बन्ध् (धातु) से भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बलिवैभवस्य बन्धनम्)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramanika summary)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gajendra
• Manu (Manvantara)
• Samudra (Ocean)
• Bali
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It functions as a contents-marker: within the Manvantara exposition, it highlights three archetypal lessons—deliverance through surrender (Gajendra), cosmic cooperation and dharmic order (ocean churning), and the disciplining of power through divine grace (Bali’s binding by Vāmana/Vishnu).

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

By pointing to Gajendra’s liberation and Bali’s encounter with Vishnu, it signals that bhakti—humble refuge in the Lord—overcomes crisis and transforms even kingship and pride into sanctified surrender.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it points to Purāṇic time-reckoning (Manvantara framework), which supports traditional Jyotiṣa-style calendrical and cosmic-period understanding used to contextualize rituals and sacred history.