Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

स कदाचिद्धनार्थं तु पृथिव्यां पर्यटन् द्विजः । ममार नर्मदातीरे श्वासकासप्रपीडितः ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

sa kadāciddhanārthaṃ tu pṛthivyāṃ paryaṭan dvijaḥ | mamāra narmadātīre śvāsakāsaprapīḍitaḥ || 27 ||

Translation

ذات مرة كان ذلك الثنائيّ الميلاد يجوب الأرض طلبًا للمال، فمات على ضفة نهر نارمَدَا وهو مُعذَّب بضيق النفس والسعال.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• धनार्थम्: for wealth
• धनार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अर्थे द्वितीया (purpose)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पर्यटन्: wandering, roaming
• पर्यटन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent—participle qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + अट् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विजः: a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ममार: died
• ममार: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नर्मदा-तीरे: on the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-तीरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नर्मदायाः तीरम्)

• श्वास-कास-प्रपीडितः: afflicted by asthma and cough
• श्वास-कास-प्रपीडितः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वास + कास + प्र + पीड् (धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) ‘प्रपीडित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समाहार-पूर्वपद (श्वासकासयोः) + तत्पुरुष (तेन प्रपीडितः)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narmada

FAQs

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

It highlights human mortality and the karmic tension between pursuing artha (wealth) and living with dharma, while also pointing to the special spiritual context of a sacred riverbank (tīrtha) like the Narmadā.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts worldly wandering for wealth with the implied need to orient life toward higher aims; in Narada Purana’s broader teaching, remembrance of the divine and dharmic living are the stable refuge when the body becomes fragile.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is dharmic discernment (choosing right aim and conduct) rather than a rule of śikṣā, vyākaraṇa, kalpa, or jyotiṣa.