Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 168

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

क्षीराब्धेस्तु तटे रम्यं सुरद्रुमलतांचितम् । उद्यदर्काभुजालाभं स्वधाम्नोज्वालदिङ्मुखम् ॥ १६८ ॥

Transliteration

kṣīrābdhestu taṭe ramyaṃ suradrumalatāṃcitam | udyadarkābhujālābhaṃ svadhāmnojvāladiṅmukham || 168 ||

Translation

على الشاطئ البهيّ لمحيط اللبن يقوم مقامٌ بهيج، مُزدانٌ بكرومٍ تتدلّى على أشجارٍ سماويةٍ مُحقِّقةٍ للأماني؛ متلألئٌ كشبكة أشعة الشمس عند الشروق، ويُشعل الجهات ببهاء نوره الذاتي.

Word by Word

• क्षीर-अब्धेः: of the Milk Ocean
• क्षीर-अब्धेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘क्षीरस्य अब्धिः’ = ocean of milk

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (emphatic/contrastive)

• तटे: on the shore
• तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• रम्यं: beautiful
• रम्यं: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्म-विशेषण (qualifying the object ‘वनम्/धाम’ understood)

• सुर-द्रुम-लता-अञ्चितम्: adorned with creepers of celestial trees
• सुर-द्रुम-लता-अञ्चितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्चित (कृदन्त, √अञ्च्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘सुरद्रुमलताभिः अञ्चितम्’ = adorned with creepers of divine trees

• उद्यत्-अर्क-आभ-उज्वल-आभम्: shining like the rising sun
• उद्यत्-अर्क-आभ-उज्वल-आभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत् (कृदन्त, √उद्+या) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-प्रधानः: ‘उद्यदर्कस्य आभा इव उज्वला आभा यस्य’ = having a brilliance like the rising sun

• स्व-धाम्ना: by its own radiance
• स्व-धाम्ना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘स्वं धाम’ = its own radiance/abode; here instrumental ‘by its own radiance’

• उज्वल-दिक्-मुखम्: making the directions bright
• उज्वल-दिक्-मुखम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘उज्वलाः दिशः मुखानि यस्य’ = whose directions/faces are bright

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kshira-sagara (Ocean of Milk)

FAQs

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

It presents a contemplative vision of a divine realm at the Milk Ocean’s shore—an archetype of purity and transcendence—whose self-effulgence outshines ordinary light, guiding the mind toward the reality of the Supreme’s luminous abode.

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

By describing a radiant, beautiful divine setting, the verse supports bhakti through dhyāna (devotional visualization): the devotee fixes the heart on the Lord’s realm—pure, auspicious, and self-luminous—thereby deepening loving remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It mainly uses cosmological and poetic imagery rather than a specific Vedanga rule; however, the verse models precise Sanskrit compounding and descriptive semantics (useful for Vyākaraṇa-style reading) to interpret sacred geography and theological symbolism.