Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

तद्रृत्तं कथयन्सर्वान्स्वां पुरीं स न्यवर्त्तत । शङ्कमानस्तु तद्रक्षःकृत्या द्राजा सुदासजः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

tadrṛttaṃ kathayansarvānsvāṃ purīṃ sa nyavarttata | śaṅkamānastu tadrakṣaḥkṛtyā drājā sudāsajaḥ || 16 ||

Translation

Nachdem er allen den ganzen Vorfall geschildert hatte, kehrte er in seine eigene Stadt zurück; doch der König, Sohn des Sudās, blieb in Sorge und fürchtete die Zauberkünste des Rākṣasa.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as adjective to वृत्तम्

• वृत्तम्: event/occurrence
• वृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथयन्: telling/narrating
• कथयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; denominative from कथा)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वान्: all (people)
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (as pronoun/adjective)

• स्वाम्: his own
• स्वाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण to पुरीम्

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न्यवर्तत: returned
• न्यवर्तत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शङ्कमानः: suspecting/fearing
• शङ्कमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तत्: by that
• तत्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘by that’ (to qualify rakṣaḥkṛtyā)

• रक्षः: of a demon
• रक्षः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (as compound member)

• कृत्या: by (demonic) sorcery
• कृत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘by sorcery/witchcraft’

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुदासजः: descendant/son of Sudāsa
• सुदासजः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदास (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सुदासस्य जः = ‘born of Sudāsa’

Speaker

Suta (narrator) [contextual Purana narration]

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Sudās
• Rakṣas

FAQs

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

It highlights how fear persists even after events are explained—implying the need for dharmic protection, steadiness of mind, and reliance on righteous means rather than panic.

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

Bhakti is implied indirectly: when threatened by hostile forces (rakṣaḥ-kṛtyā), the dharmic response in Purāṇic literature is to take refuge in the Divine and protective sacred practices rather than acting from anxiety.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to kṛtyā (harmful rites), which connects practically to applied ritual knowledge (Kalpa) and protective rites described in dharma-śāstra and Purāṇic practice.