Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

The Description of the Glory of the Purāṇa

Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

शोभितं सारसैर्हंसैश्चक्राह्वाद्यैर्निनादितम् । स्वर्द्धनीपातनि र्घृष्टं क्रीडद्भिश्चाप्सरोगणैः ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

śobhitaṃ sārasairhaṃsaiścakrāhvādyairnināditam | svarddhanīpātani rghṛṣṭaṃ krīḍadbhiścāpsarogaṇaiḥ || 13 ||

Translation

Jener Ort war geschmückt von Kranichen und Schwänen, widerhallend von den Rufen des Cakravāka und anderer Vögel; und er erstrahlte durch die spielenden Scharen der Apsarās, die dort sich ergötzten, während ihr Schmuck hell aufglänzte.

Word by Word

• śobhitaṃ: adorned, beautified
• śobhitaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhita (कृदन्त; √śubh शोभने)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Past Passive Participle (क्त) used adjectivally

• sārasaiḥ: by sarasa-birds (cranes)
• sārasaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• haṃsaiḥ: by swans
• haṃsaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• cakrāhva-ādyaiḥ: by (birds) beginning with cakrāhva (ruddy goose) etc.
• cakrāhva-ādyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakrāhva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ādi-śabda indicates ‘beginning with’ (आदिशब्दः)

• nināditam: resounding, made noisy
• nināditam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ninādita (कृदन्त; √nad नादे with ni-)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Past Passive Participle (क्त)

• svarddhanī-pātaniḥghṛṣṭam: worn/smoothed by the fall/flow of the Svarddhanī (river)
• svarddhanī-pātaniḥghṛṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarddhanī (प्रातिपदिक) + pāta (प्रातिपदिक) + niḥghṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √ghṛṣ घर्षणे with nis-)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound sense: ‘rubbed/polished by the fall/flow of Svarddhanī’; Past Passive Participle (क्त) as final member

• krīḍadbhiḥ: by (those) playing
• krīḍadbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krīḍat (कृदन्त; √krīḍ क्रीडायाम्)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); Present Active Participle (शतृ) used adjectivally

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• apsarogaṇaiḥ: by groups of apsarases
• apsarogaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘group of apsarases’ (अप्सरसां गणः)

Speaker

Narada (within the Purva Bhaga narrative framework; commonly transmitted via Suta’s recitation in Purana style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Apsaras
• Hamsa
• Sārasa
• Cakravāka

FAQs

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

The verse uses a vivid celestial landscape—holy waters, auspicious birds, and Apsarās—to convey the Puranic idea that higher realms are marked by harmony, sacred sound, and beauty that reflects accumulated merit (puṇya) and divine order (ṛta).

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

While not directly instructing bhakti practices, it supports bhakti-oriented Purāṇic teaching by portraying divine realms as saturated with auspicious sound and splendor—imagery that encourages devotional contemplation (smaraṇa) of sacred worlds associated with the Lord’s cosmic arrangement.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No explicit Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this line; it functions primarily as Purāṇic cosmographic and poetic description rather than a technical instruction.