Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

मध्यंगतमिवादित्यं दृष्ट्वा शुकमवस्थितम् । जूजयित्वा यथान्यायमभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

madhyaṃgatamivādityaṃ dṛṣṭvā śukamavasthitam | jūjayitvā yathānyāyamabhivādya kṛtāñjaliḥ || 59 ||

Translation

Als er Śuka dort stehen sah, gleich der Sonne zur Mittagszeit, erwies er ihm nach Gebühr Ehre, brachte ehrerbietigen Gruß dar und stand mit gefalteten Händen.

Word by Word

• मध्यम्: the middle
• मध्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘middle’ (as goal/extent)

• गतम्: gone/reached
• गतम्: Karma-anvayi (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘आदित्यम्’ via simile)

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• आदित्यम्: the sun
• आदित्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• शुकम्: Śuka
• शुकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; here: ‘Śuka’ (proper name)

• अवस्थितम्: standing/remaining
• अवस्थितम्: Karma-anvayi (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘शुकम्’)

• जूजयित्वा: having honored/worshipped
• जूजयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जूज्/√जुज् (धातु; ‘to honor/worship’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; causative nuance possible by usage; ‘having worshipped/paid respects’

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner)

• न्यायम्: proper rule/etiquette
• न्यायम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘rule/propriety’

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted
• अभिवाद्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• कृताञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• कृताञ्जलिः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत+अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृतः अञ्जलिः येन) ‘with hands joined’; विशेषण (of the doer)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the episode within the Moksha-dharma section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shuka

FAQs

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

It highlights humility and right conduct (sadācāra): recognizing realized beings like Śuka as spiritually radiant and approaching them with reverence, which supports mokṣa-oriented life.

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

Bhakti is expressed through respectful service and salutations; honoring the saintly is treated as a devotional act that purifies the heart and aligns one with dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual and social injunctions—proper greeting and honoring “yathā-nyāyam” (according to rule), a practical application of dharma-śāstra style norms used alongside Vedic practice.