Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions

Devanagari script

उल्काशनिप्रपाते च तथा विप्रेऽवमानिते । मन्वादिषु च देवर्षे युगादिषु चतुर्ष्वपि ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

ulkāśaniprapāte ca tathā vipre'vamānite | manvādiṣu ca devarṣe yugādiṣu caturṣvapi || 49 ||

Translation

O Devarṣi, wenn ein Meteor oder ein Blitz herabfällt und ebenso, wenn ein Brāhmaṇa entehrt wird—auch zu Beginn eines Manvantara und zu Beginn der vier Yugas—soll man in der Dharma besonders wachsam sein und die vorgeschriebenen Riten vollziehen.

Word by Word

• उल्का-शनि-प्रपाते: at the fall of a meteor/comet or lightning
• उल्का-शनि-प्रपाते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्का (प्रातिपदिक) + शनि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उल्कायाः/शनेः प्रपातः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: likewise/also)

• विप्रे: when a brahmin (vipra)
• विप्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अवमानिते: is insulted/disrespected
• अवमानिते: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवमानित (कृदन्त; अव√मान् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• मनु-आदिषु: on the Manv-ādi occasions (Manvantara beginnings etc.)
• मनु-आदिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मन्वादयः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवर्षे: O divine sage
• देवर्षे: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• युग-आदिषु: on the Yuga-ādi occasions (beginnings of yugas etc.)
• युग-आदिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (युगादयः)

• चतुर्षु: in the four (among them)
• चतुर्षु: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अप्यर्थ/समुच्चय/अवधारण (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Devarṣi Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Devarṣi Narada
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Manvantara
• Four Yugas

FAQs

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

It links external signs (meteors/lightning) and social-spiritual violations (insulting a brāhmaṇa) with sensitive thresholds of cosmic time (Manvantara/Yuga beginnings), indicating moments when dharmic alertness and prescribed rites become especially important.

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

By stressing reverence to the vipra and careful conduct during powerful time-junctions, it supports bhakti as disciplined devotion—expressed through humility, respect for sacred persons, and timely observance of rites that keep the mind aligned with the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Nimitta-śāstra and Jyotiṣa-oriented timing: recognition of omens (ulkā/aśani) and the importance of kāla (yuga/manvantara junctions) for deciding heightened ritual and ethical vigilance.