Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

इति स्तुत्वा देवमाता देवं नत्वा पुनः पुनः । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा हर्षाश्रुक्षालितस्तनी ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

iti stutvā devamātā devaṃ natvā punaḥ punaḥ | uvāca prāñjalirbhūtvā harṣāśrukṣālitastanī || 40 ||

Translation

هكذا سبَّحت أمُّ الآلهةِ الربَّ، وانحنت له مرارًا وتكرارًا. ثم وقفتْ ويداها مضمومتان، وقد غسلت دموعُ الفرح صدرَها، فتكلَّمت.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/प्रकार (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (Quotative/Thus)

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• देवमाता: the mother of the gods
• देवमाता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + माता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानां माता (mother of the gods)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative)

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb: again)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb: again)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: कर्तृविशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषण (of implied ‘she’/देवमाता): with joined palms

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• हर्ष-अश्रु-क्षालित-स्तनी: whose breasts were wet with tears of joy
• हर्ष-अश्रु-क्षालित-स्तनी: कर्तृविशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्ष + अश्रु + क्षालित (क्षल्/क्षाल् धातु + क्त) + स्तनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; बहुव्रीहि: यस्याः स्तनौ हर्षाश्रुभ्यां क्षालितौ सा (she whose breasts were washed by tears of joy)

Speaker

Devamātā (Mother of the gods)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Devamātā
• Deva (the Lord)

FAQs

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

It highlights the devotional sequence of stuti (praise) followed by repeated namaskāra (bowing), culminating in prayerful speech with añjali—showing that humility and heartfelt emotion are honored modes of approaching the Lord.

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

Bhakti is shown as embodied devotion: praising the Lord, bowing again and again, and speaking from a softened heart—tears of joy indicating surrender (śaraṇāgati) and deep reverence rather than mere intellectual worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; it instead reflects prayoga (practical ritual conduct) through añjali and namaskāra—standard devotional etiquette used in Purāṇic and Vedic worship contexts.