Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation

Devanagari script

प्रददौ गुरुपुत्राय शुकाय परमोचितम् । तत्रोपविष्टं तं कार्ष्णिशास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

pradadau guruputrāya śukāya paramocitam | tatropaviṣṭaṃ taṃ kārṣṇiśāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā || 3 ||

Translation

Er übergab dem Sohn des Guru, Śuka, was in höchstem Maße angemessen war; und als Śuka dort Platz genommen hatte, diente er ihm mit den Handlungen, wie sie im Kāṛṣṇi-Śāstra, der mit Kṛṣṇa verbundenen Lehre, vorgeschrieben sind.

Word by Word

• प्रददौ: gave
• प्रददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुरुपुत्राय: to the teacher’s son
• गुरुपुत्राय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु+पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; dative singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: ‘गुरोः पुत्रः’)

• शुकाय: to Śuka
• शुकाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; dative singular (apposition to गुरुपुत्राय)

• परम: supremely
• परम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular (qualifying उचितम्)

• उचितम्: proper/suitable (thing)
• उचितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘proper/suitable’ (object of प्रददौ; seat etc. understood)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• उपविष्टम्: seated
• उपविष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप+विश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle qualifying तम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• कार्ष्णिशास्त्रदृष्टेन: by the act prescribed in the Kārṣṇi-śāstra
• कार्ष्णिशास्त्रदृष्टेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्ष्णि+शास्त्र+दृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular; समास: (कार्ष्णि-शास्त्र)-दृष्ट = ‘seen/ordained in the Kārṣṇi-śāstra’ (तत्पुरुष)

• कर्मणा: by (a) rite/act
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

Speaker

Narada (narrative voice within the Moksha-dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Śuka

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that spiritual transmission is not casual: what is given to a worthy recipient should be “paramocita”—perfectly suited—and it should be accompanied by reverent, scripturally guided conduct toward the recipient, reflecting dharma that supports moksha.

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

Bhakti is shown through disciplined reverence and service: honoring Śuka with procedures aligned to a Kṛṣṇa-centered śāstra indicates that devotion is expressed as obedient, tradition-rooted practice, not merely emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to śāstra-dṛṣṭa karma—ritual action performed according to textual injunctions—echoing the Vedāṅga concern for correct procedure (Kalpa: rules of rites and conduct) and proper dharmic protocol in guru-disciple settings.