Previous Verse
Next Verse

Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

उपतस्थुर्मुनिश्रेष्टं यथास्य पितरं तथा । बृहस्पतिं स वव्रे च वेदवेदांगभाष्यवित् ॥ ३८ ॥

upatasthurmuniśreṣṭaṃ yathāsya pitaraṃ tathā | bṛhaspatiṃ sa vavre ca vedavedāṃgabhāṣyavit || 38 ||

Sie dienten dem erhabensten der Weisen, wie sie ihrem eigenen Vater dienen würden. Und er, kundig in den Auslegungslehren der Veden und der Vedāṅgas, erwählte Bṛhaspati zum Lehrer.

उपतस्थुःthey attended/approached
उपतस्थुः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप-स्था (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु: स्था (to stand) उपसर्ग: उप-; अर्थ: ‘approached/attended’
मुनिश्रेष्टम्the best of sages
मुनिश्रेष्टम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनिश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक: मुनि + श्रेष्ठ)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मुनीनां श्रेष्ठः)
यथाas
यथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (comparative/‘as’)
अस्यof him
अस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन
पितरम्father
पितरम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
तथाso/likewise
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/so)
बृहस्पतिम्Bṛhaspati
बृहस्पतिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootबृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वव्रेchose/selected
वव्रे:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवृ (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; धातु: वृ (to choose/seek)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
वेदवेदाङ्गभाष्यवित्knower of Veda, Vedāṅgas, and their commentaries
वेदवेदाङ्गभाष्यवित्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद + वेदाङ्ग + भाष्य + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; विद्-धातु-निष्ठ)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: वेदानां वेदाङ्गानां च भाष्यं वेत्ति इति (knower of commentaries on Veda and Vedāṅgas)

Narada (narrating within the Moksha-dharma discourse)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

B
Bṛhaspati

FAQs

It emphasizes guru-sevā and reverence: serving a realized sage like one’s own father, and grounding spiritual life in an authentic teacher who knows the Veda and Vedāṅgas.

Though not explicitly naming bhakti, it establishes the bhakti foundation of humility and service to the guru, through whom right understanding and disciplined practice are received.

It points to mastery of the Vedāṅgas and their bhāṣyas—practical disciplines that support correct recitation, interpretation, and application of Vedic teaching (e.g., Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas, Nirukta, Jyotiṣa, Kalpa).