Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Manvantaras and Indras; Sudharmā’s Liberation through Viṣṇu-Pradakṣiṇā; Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti

Devanagari script

सुधर्म उवाच । चतुर्युगसहस्त्राणि ब्रह्मणो दिनमुच्यते । एकस्मिन् दिवसे शक्र मनवश्च चतुर्दश ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

sudharma uvāca | caturyugasahastrāṇi brahmaṇo dinamucyate | ekasmin divase śakra manavaśca caturdaśa || 17 ||

Translation

Sudharma sprach: Tausend Zyklen der vier Yugas gelten als ein einziger Tag Brahmās. O Śakra (Indra), in einem solchen Tag gibt es vierzehn Manus.

Word by Word

• sudharmaḥ: Sudharma
• sudharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (speaker tag)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• catur-yuga-sahasrāṇi: thousands of four-yuga cycles
• catur-yuga-sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur + yuga + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुर्युगानां सहस्राणि)

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā
• brahmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• dinam: a day
• dinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as प्रथमा (predicate nominative)

• ucyate: is said/called
• ucyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• ekasmin: in one
• ekasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; विशेषण

• divase: day
• divase: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• śakra: O Śakra (Indra)
• śakra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• manavaḥ: Manus
• manavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (manavaḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्); द्विगु-समास (चत्वारः + दश)

Speaker

Sudharma

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shakra (Indra)
• Manu

FAQs

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

It places human history within vast cosmic time, encouraging detachment and dharmic living by showing that worldly eras are brief compared to Brahmā’s day and the succession of Manus.

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

By emphasizing the immensity and transience of cosmic cycles, it implicitly directs the seeker toward lasting refuge—devotion to the Supreme—rather than temporary achievements within any yuga or manvantara.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It supports Jyotiṣa-style sacred timekeeping by defining key cosmological units (chaturyuga, Brahmā’s day, and the 14 manvantaras) used in Purāṇic chronology and calendrical calculations.