Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

Śuka’s Origin, Mastery of Śāstra, and Testing at Janaka’s Court

Devanagari script

जातमात्रं मुनेः पुत्रं विधिनोपानयत्तदा । तस्य देवेश्वरः शक्तो दिव्यमद्भुतदर्शनम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

jātamātraṃ muneḥ putraṃ vidhinopānayattadā | tasya deveśvaraḥ śakto divyamadbhutadarśanam || 34 ||

Translation

Zu jener Zeit wurde der Sohn des Weisen, obgleich eben erst geboren, nach der Vorschrift mit dem Upanayana-Ritus eingeweiht. Und der Herr der Götter, der dazu vollmächtig war, gewährte ihm eine göttliche, wunderbare Schau.

Word by Word

• जातमात्रम्: just born
• जातमात्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारयभाव: जातं मात्रम्), ‘जात’ = √जन् क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘पुत्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• विधिना: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिना: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘विधिना’ = ‘according to rule/rite’

• उपानयत्: initiated / led (for upanayana)
• उपानयत्: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-नी (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवेश्वरः: the Lord of the gods
• देवेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानाम् ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शक्तः: able / capable
• शक्तः: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (PPP) from √शक् ‘able’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of देवेश्वरः)

• दिव्य-अद्भुत-दर्शनम्: a divine and wondrous vision
• दिव्य-अद्भुत-दर्शनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य-अद्भुत-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-कर्मधारयसमास (दिव्यं च अद्भुतं च दर्शनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (अर्थतः ‘दर्शन’ = sight/vision)

Speaker

Narada (narrating to Sanatkumara and the Kumaras)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Deveshvara (Lord of the gods)
• Muni (sage)
• Muni-putra (sage’s son)

FAQs

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

It highlights how dharma performed “according to rule” (vidhinā) becomes a channel for divine anugraha—resulting in divya, adbhuta-darśana (a higher spiritual vision) granted by the Lord.

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

By showing that the Lord freely bestows extraordinary spiritual perception, the verse emphasizes grace as central—bhakti is fulfilled when the deity responds with direct inner revelation (darśana), not merely external ritual.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and samskāra-vidhi are implied—specifically upanayana as a formal entry into Vedic study and discipline, aligning practice with śāstric injunctions (a concern of Kalpa/Vedāṅga in applied form).