Shloka 90

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

तान् दृष्ट्वा नारदो विप्र संविवर्द्धयिषून् प्रजाः संगम्य प्रियसंवादो देवर्षिर् इदम् अब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tān dṛṣṭvā nārado vipra saṃvivarddhayiṣūn prajāḥ saṃgamya priyasaṃvādo devarṣir idam abravīt

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa, seeing them intent on nurturing and increasing their subjects, Nārada—the divine seer, gentle in speech—approached and spoke these words.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — having seen

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• संविवर्द्धयिषून्: wishing to increase (them)
• संविवर्द्धयिषून्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + वि + वृध् (धातु)
• Form: भविष्यत्कृदन्त (तुमुन्/इष्यत्-भाव: ‘-यिषु’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural; इच्छार्थ/उद्यमार्थ: ‘desiring to make grow’

• प्रजाः: creatures, progeny
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• संगम्य: having approached
• संगम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्ग: सम् — having approached/met

• प्रियसंवादः: pleasant in speech
• प्रियसंवादः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय + संवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; विशेषण: ‘प्रियः संवादः यस्य’ (pleasant-spoken)

• देवर्षिः: divine sage
• देवर्षिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd sg.

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the story, Devarṣi Nārada is about to speak

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nārada’s intervention in Dakṣa’s plans to increase progeny; the tension between pravṛtti (procreation) and nivṛtti (renunciation)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nārada’s approach signals the purāṇic dialectic: worldly increase (pravṛtti) is not absolute; higher discernment can redirect beings toward renunciation (nivṛtti).

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Balance duties with inner detachment; periodically reassess goals so that expansion, success, or productivity do not eclipse liberation-oriented priorities.

Vishishtadvaita: Detachment is not negation of the world but reorientation of the self as the Lord’s dependent (śeṣa), making both action and renunciation modes of service.

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Prajāḥ (subjects/people)
• Rulers/Kings (implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of Nārada appearing in dynasty narratives in the Vishnu Purana?

Nārada functions as a dharmic catalyst—he arrives when rulers are shaping society, and his counsel redirects governance toward righteousness and the welfare of the people.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the movement of the story in this verse?

Parāśara uses this as a transition: he describes the kings’ intent to nurture their subjects and then introduces Nārada’s forthcoming speech, signaling an instructive turning point in the episode.

What theological takeaway about Vishnu’s order can be inferred here?

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse implies that social flourishing (prajā-vṛddhi) and righteous rule operate within a divinely upheld order—an expression of the cosmos sustained by the Supreme Reality.