Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

Yajñamālī–Sumālī Upākhyāna: Merit-Transfer through Temple Plastering (Lepa) and the Redemption of a Sinner

Devanagari script

कृतं यत्सुमहत्कर्म त्वया प्राक्तनजन्मनि । प्रवक्ष्यामः समासेन तच्छ्रणुष्व समाहितः ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

kṛtaṃ yatsumahatkarma tvayā prāktanajanmani | pravakṣyāmaḥ samāsena tacchraṇuṣva samāhitaḥ || 37 ||

Translation

পূর্বজন্মে তুমি যে অতি মহান কর্ম করেছিলে, তা আমরা সংক্ষেপে বলব; মন একাগ্র করে শোনো।

Word by Word

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘done’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक relative pronoun (‘which/that’)

• सुमहत्-कर्म: a very great deed
• सुमहत्-कर्म: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘सुमहत् कर्म’)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राक्तन-जन्मनि: in a former birth
• प्राक्तन-जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राक्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘प्राक्तनं जन्म’ = former birth)

• प्रवक्ष्यामः: we will explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• समासेन: briefly
• समासेन: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (‘in brief/briefly’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (object: ‘that’)

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• समाहितः: being attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘collected/attentive’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (speaking to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames spiritual teaching as the unfolding of prior karma: the listener’s present capacity and destiny are linked to a “great deed” performed in a former birth, and right reception requires samāhita—steady, focused attention.

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

While not naming bhakti directly, it establishes the bhakti-friendly discipline of śravaṇa (devotional listening): concentrated hearing of sacred instruction is presented as the doorway through which past merit ripens into present spiritual understanding.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes the practical discipline of attentive hearing and concise exposition (samāsena), a core method of traditional śāstra transmission; it is methodological rather than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.