Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

ततो मासत्रयेऽतीते गरेण सहितं सुतम् । सुषाव सुशुभे काले शुश्रूषानष्टकिल्बिषा ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

tato māsatraye'tīte gareṇa sahitaṃ sutam | suṣāva suśubhe kāle śuśrūṣānaṣṭakilbiṣā || 5 ||

Translation

তারপর তিন মাস অতিবাহিত হলে, শুশ্রূষায় পাপমুক্তা সে শুভ কালে গর্ভঝিল্লি (অপরা) সহ এক পুত্র প্রসব করল।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: काल/क्रम (Temporal sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb (thereafter)

• मास-त्रये: after three months (in the three-month period)
• मास-त्रये: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्विगु: त्रयो मासाः

• अतीते: having passed/elapsed
• अतीते: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Locative singular (7th/सप्तमी), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) agreeing with 'मासत्रये'

• गरेण: with poison
• गरेण: सह/करण (Instrumental; accompaniment/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सहितम्: accompanied/combined
• सहितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (उपसर्ग) + इ (धातु) / सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (PPP) used adjectivally; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifies 'सुतम्'

• सुतम्: a son
• सुतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सुषाव: gave birth
• सुषाव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सु-शुभे: in an auspicious
• सु-शुभे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'काले'; कर्मधारय: सु + शुभ

• काले: time
• काले: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शुश्रूषा-अनष्ट-किल्बिषा: she whose sin was destroyed by service
• शुश्रूषा-अनष्ट-किल्बिषा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक) + अनष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-समास; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभाव: शुश्रूषया अनष्टं किल्बिषं यस्याः (i.e., whose sin was destroyed by service)

Speaker

Suta (narrator)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It links auspicious outcomes (a safe birth at a favorable time) with inner purity—sin removed through dharmic conduct—and emphasizes that attentive service (śuśrūṣā) supports spiritual and worldly well-being.

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

While not explicitly naming Vishnu-bhakti, it highlights śuśrūṣā (devoted service), a core bhakti disposition—humble, attentive service that purifies the heart (naṣṭa-kilbiṣā) and invites auspiciousness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The phrase “suśubhe kāle” points to choosing an auspicious time, aligning with Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology) principles used in dharmic life-cycle rites (saṁskāras).