Shloka 116

Pūjādi-kathana — Gaṅgā Vratas, Tenfold Worship, Stotra, and Mokṣa on the Riverbank

Devanagari script

प्रवाहमवधिं कृत्वा यावद्धस्तचतुष्टयम् । तत्र नारायणः स्वामी नान्यः स्वामी कदाचन ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

pravāhamavadhiṃ kṛtvā yāvaddhastacatuṣṭayam | tatra nārāyaṇaḥ svāmī nānyaḥ svāmī kadācana || 116 ||

Translation

প্রবাহিত জলের সীমা চার হাত পরিমাণ স্থির করে, সেই পবিত্র পরিসরে নারায়ণই একমাত্র স্বামী; কখনও অন্য কেউ স্বামী নন।

Word by Word

• प्रवाहम्: the stream/flow
• प्रवाहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अवधिम्: limit, boundary, measure
• अवधिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सीमा/परिमाण’ अर्थे

• कृत्वा: having made (as)
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having made/considered’

• यावत्: up to, as far as
• यावत्: परिमाण-निर्देश (Measure/Extent marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्धबोधक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशक (correlative: ‘as far as/upto’)

• हस्तचतुष्टयम्: a set of four cubits (four hands)
• हस्तचतुष्टयम्: कर्म/परिमाण (Karma as measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तचतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक) [हस्त + चतुष्टय]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• स्वामी: lord, master
• स्वामी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; ‘स्वामी’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य-प्रतियोगी

• स्वामी: lord
• स्वामी: सम्बन्ध/विधेय (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पूर्वपदेन ‘अन्यः’ इति विशेषित

• कदाचन: ever, at any time
• कदाचन: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक (temporal adverb), निषेधसह ‘कदापि’ अर्थे

Speaker

Narada (traditional Uttara-Bhaga narration on tirtha/ritual boundaries; speaker attribution based on Narada Purana dialogue flow)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"From practical delimitation of sacred space to settled certainty of exclusive lordship within that consecrated boundary."}

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It asserts Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa) as the sole sovereign within the sanctified ritual space, teaching that sacred geography and practice culminate in exclusive devotion to Nārāyaṇa.

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

By declaring “Nārāyaṇa alone is the Lord,” it frames bhakti as single-pointed (ananya) devotion—ritual acts and tirtha observances are meant to direct the mind to Viṣṇu as the only ultimate refuge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects practical ritual measurement and delimitation (a procedural rule using the unit hasta), aligning with applied kalpa-style discipline in conducting tirtha-related observances.