Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

Hanūmaccarita

The Account of Hanumān

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माद्यलभ्यं देवेश दीयतां यदि रोचते । अथेशो विष्णुमालोक्य गृहीत्वा तत्करं करे ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

brahmādyalabhyaṃ deveśa dīyatāṃ yadi rocate | atheśo viṣṇumālokya gṛhītvā tatkaraṃ kare || 96 ||

Translation

„O Herr der Götter, wenn es Dir gefällt, gewähre, was selbst Brahmā und die anderen nicht erlangen können.“ Da blickte der Herr auf Viṣṇu und nahm seine Hand in die eigene.

Word by Word

• brahma-ādi-alabhyam: unattainable even for Brahmā and others
• brahma-ādi-alabhyam: Karma (कर्म/object; thing requested)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + alabhyá (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: ब्रह्म + आदि (द्वन्द्व/समाहार-भावे ‘and others’) + अलभ्य (तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः; here adjectival ‘unattainable even by Brahmā etc.’)

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: देव + ईश (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• dīyatām: let it be given
• dīyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive imperative) ‘let it be given’ from √दा ‘to give’

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conditional conjunction (यदि)

• rocate: is pleasing
• rocate: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ruc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; from √रुच् ‘to please/appeal’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, discourse connector

• īśaḥ: the Lord
• īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म/object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ālokya: having looked at
• ālokya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/gerundial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-lok (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √लोक् with उपसर्ग आ-; ‘having looked at/seeing’

• gṛhītvā: having taken
• gṛhītvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), from √ग्रह् ‘to seize/take’

• tat-karam: his hand
• tat-karam: Karma (कर्म/object of taking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: तत् + कर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘his hand’)

• kare: in (his) hand
• kare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Suta/Narada-Purana narrative voice; dialogue context refers to Devēśa and Viṣṇu)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Devesha (Lord of the gods)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that the highest attainments—beyond even Brahmā’s reach—are ultimately granted by divine grace, not merely by status or power; the Lord’s act of taking Viṣṇu’s hand signals sanction, protection, and purposeful divine action.

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

The request is framed as humble petition (“if it pleases you”), highlighting dependence on the Lord’s will; bhakti culminates in receiving what is otherwise ‘unattainable,’ through relationship and grace rather than self-assertion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique (Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas, Nirukta, Jyotiṣa, Kalpa) is taught in this single verse; it functions more as narrative theology about adhikāra (spiritual eligibility) and prasāda (grace).