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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

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

बभौ देवद्विषां सेना स्फुरच्छस्त्रौघधारिणी । चलद्विद्युन्निभा रात्रिश्छादिता जलदैरिव ॥ १९ ॥

babhau devadviṣāṃ senā sphuracchastraughadhāriṇī | caladvidyunnibhā rātriśchāditā jaladairiva || 19 ||

Das Heer der Feinde der Devas erglänzte, Massen blitzender Waffen tragend—wie eine Nacht, von wandernden Blitzen erhellt, als wäre sie von Wolken verhüllt.

babhaushone; appeared splendid
babhau:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootbhā (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
deva-dviṣāmof the enemies of the gods
deva-dviṣām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक) + dviṣ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक: द्विष् ‘enemy’)
Formषष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘देवान् द्विषन्ति ये’
senāarmy
senā:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsenā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
sphurat-śastra-ogha-dhāriṇībearing torrents of flashing weapons
sphurat-śastra-ogha-dhāriṇī:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjective of senā)
TypeAdjective
Rootsphurat (कृदन्त: शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘flashing’) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāriṇī (कृदन्त: धारिन्/धारिणी ‘bearing’)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः—‘स्फुरन्तः शस्त्रौघाः येषां सा’ (bearing a mass of flashing weapons)
calat-vidyut-nibhālike moving lightning
calat-vidyut-nibhā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjective of senā)
TypeAdjective
Rootcalat (कृदन्त: शतृ ‘moving’) + vidyut (प्रातिपदिक) + nibhā (प्रातिपदिक ‘like’)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘चलती विद्युतेव निभा यस्याः सा’
rātriḥnight
rātriḥ:
Upamāna (उपमान/standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootrātri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
chāditācovered
chāditā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjective of rātriḥ)
TypeAdjective
Rootchad (धातु) + ta (कृदन्त: क्त/PPP)
Formक्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थकः
jaladaiḥby clouds
jaladaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootjalada (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन
ivalike
iva:
Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
Formउपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

Suta (narrator)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

D
Devas
D
Devadvis (enemies of the gods)

FAQs

It portrays adharma’s force as outwardly dazzling yet set in a dark, clouded atmosphere—suggesting that brilliance without dharma is like lightning in a storm: striking but not illuminating the path.

By contrasting the glitter of weapon-power with the imagery of night and clouds, the verse indirectly points to bhakti as the true light that dispels inner darkness, rather than reliance on violent might.

No specific Vedanga instruction is taught in this verse; it primarily uses poetic simile (upamā) and vivid description typical of Purāṇic narration rather than ritual, grammar, or jyotiṣa guidance.