Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali

Devanagari script

ततः प्रववृते युद्धं घोरं गीर्वाणदैत्ययो । कल्पांतमेघानिर्धोषं डिंडिंमध्वनिसंभ्रमम् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghoraṃ gīrvāṇadaityayo | kalpāṃtameghānirdhoṣaṃ ḍiṃḍiṃmadhvanisaṃbhramam || 13 ||

Translation

Da entbrannte ein schrecklicher Kampf zwischen den Göttern und den Daityas; sein Dröhnen glich dem Donner der Wolken am Ende eines Kalpa, und das Getümmel war erfüllt vom Schall der Kriegstrommeln.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमबोधक (then/thereupon)

• pravavṛte: arose/began
• pravavṛte: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of yuddham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• gīrvāṇa-daityayoḥ: of the gods and the demons
• gīrvāṇa-daityayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of participants)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīrvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (of gods and demons)

• kalpa-anta-megha-nirdhoṣam: like the thunder/roar of clouds at the end of an aeon
• kalpa-anta-megha-nirdhoṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of yuddham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + megha (प्रातिपदिक) + nirdhoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (kalpānte meghānām nirdhoṣaḥ iva)

• ḍiṃḍiṃma-dhvani-saṃbhramam: with tumult of drum-sound
• ḍiṃḍiṃma-dhvani-saṃbhramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of yuddham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ḍiṃḍiṃma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvani (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ḍiṃḍiṃma-dhvaneḥ saṃbhramaḥ)

Speaker

Suta (narrator)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Devas (Gīrvāṇas)
• Daityas

FAQs

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

It portrays adharma-driven conflict as a cosmic-scale upheaval—an image that reminds the listener that worldly power-struggles are noisy, impermanent, and ultimately subordinate to the larger order (ṛta/dharma) governing the kalpas.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts the deafening turbulence of Deva–Asura rivalry with the stabilizing refuge sought in devotion; bhakti in the Narada Purana is presented as a means to transcend such fearsome, time-bound commotions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses Purāṇic cosmological time language (kalpa-anta), which aligns with Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning; the practical takeaway is awareness of cyclical cosmic periods used in Purāṇic chronology.