Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

धारयन्स तपस्तेपे पुत्रार्थं सुनिसंत्तमः । अग्नेर्भूमेस्तथा वायोरंतरिक्षस्य चाभितः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

dhārayansa tapastepe putrārthaṃ sunisaṃttamaḥ | agnerbhūmestathā vāyoraṃtarikṣasya cābhitaḥ || 5 ||

Translation

Sein Gelübde standhaft tragend, übte jener vortrefflichste Mann Askese, um einen Sohn zu erlangen—indem er Agni (Feuer), Bhūmi (Erde), Vāyu (Wind) und die Region der Antarikṣa (den Zwischenraum) nach allen Seiten hin besänftigte.

Word by Word

• धारयन्: holding/sustaining
• धारयन्: Karta (कर्ता; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धारयत् (कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेपे: performed
• तेपे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• पुत्र-अर्थम्: for (obtaining) a son
• पुत्र-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (putrāya arthaḥ) = ‘for the sake of a son’ (purpose accusative)

• सु-निसन्तमः: the most excellent
• सु-निसन्तमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + निसन्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/उपपद-समास: ‘अत्यन्तं निसन्तमः’ (श्रेष्ठतमः)

• अग्नेः: of fire
• अग्नेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• भूमेः: of earth
• भूमेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• वायोः: of wind
• वायोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्तरिक्षस्य: of the sky/atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्षस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभितः: around, on all sides
• अभितः: Desha (देश/Spatial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभितः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides/around)

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Bhumi
• Vayu
• Antariksha

FAQs

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

It highlights tapas (austerity) as a deliberate, vow-sustained discipline, showing that desire-driven aims (like progeny) are pursued through regulated dharmic effort and reverence to cosmic deities/elements rather than mere wish.

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

While not explicitly naming Vishnu-bhakti here, it reflects the bhakti principle of propitiation (upāsanā) and surrender through sustained observance—approaching divine powers with steadiness, purity, and ritual discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implies ritual orientation (kalpa/karma-kāṇḍa practice): performing tapas and propitiatory acts toward specific deities and cosmic regions—knowledge typically organized through Kalpa (ritual procedure) and related observances (vrata-niyama).