Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation

Devanagari script

ततः पैलादयो विप्रा वेदान् व्यासादधीत्य च । शैलश्रृंगाद्भुवं प्राप्ता याजनाध्यापने रताः ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ pailādayo viprā vedān vyāsādadhītya ca | śailaśrṛṃgādbhuvaṃ prāptā yājanādhyāpane ratāḥ || 55 ||

Translation

Thereafter, the brahmin sages beginning with Paila, having studied the Vedas from Vyāsa, came down from the mountain peak to the earth and devoted themselves to conducting sacrifices for others and teaching the Veda.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (काल/अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय)

• पैल-आदयः: Paila and others
• पैल-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘Paila and others’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• विप्राः: Brahmins/sages
• विप्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); apposition to ‘pailādayaḥ’

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• व्यासात्: from Vyāsa
• व्यासात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• अधीत्य: having studied
• अधीत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √इ with उपसर्ग अधि; idiomatically ‘having studied/learnt’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• शैल-शृङ्गात्: from the mountain peak
• शैल-शृङ्गात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘mountain-peak’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• भुवम्: the earth/world
• भुवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुव्/भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्राप्ताः: arrived/reached
• प्राप्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृत्-प्रत्यय), from √आप with उपसर्ग प्र; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); used as finite sense ‘having reached/arrived’

• याजन-अध्यापने: in officiating sacrifices and teaching
• याजन-अध्यापने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजन (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्यापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) ‘sacrificing-for-others and teaching’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन) (as a fixed dual for paired activities)

• रताः: engaged/devoted
• रताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Paila
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

It presents the ideal transmission of sacred knowledge: disciples learn the Veda from Vyāsa and then serve society through two central brahmin duties—teaching (adhyāpana) and guiding sacrificial worship (yājana).

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

While not explicitly naming bhakti, it supports devotion through disciplined Vedic practice: yajña and Vedic instruction are shown as service-oriented forms of worship that sustain dharma and prepare the mind for liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to applied Vedic competence—recitation and teaching of śruti (requiring śikṣā and vyākaraṇa) and correct performance of yajña (requiring kalpa/śrauta procedural knowledge).