Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

Devanagari script

सत्सङ्गेऽपि मनुष्याणां पूर्वपुण्यातिरेकतः । जायते भगवद्भक्तिस्तदहं विस्मयं गतः ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

satsaṅge'pi manuṣyāṇāṃ pūrvapuṇyātirekataḥ | jāyate bhagavadbhaktistadahaṃ vismayaṃ gataḥ || 48 ||

Translation

Aun cuando los hombres tengan sat-saṅga, la compañía de los virtuosos, la bhakti al Bhagavān nace sólo cuando abunda el mérito de vidas pasadas. Al ver esto, quedo colmado de asombro.

Word by Word

• सत्सङ्गे: in the company of the good
• सत्सङ्गे: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) < सत् + सङ्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सतां सङ्गः)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अर्थः ‘even/also’

• मनुष्याणाम्: of men/humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• पूर्वपुण्यातिरेकतः: due to the excess of prior merit
• पूर्वपुण्यातिरेकतः: अपादान (अपादानम्/Ablative-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वपुण्यातिरेक (प्रातिपदिक) < पूर्व + पुण्य + अतिरेक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः; पञ्चमी-हेतौ (ablative of cause)

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: क्रिया (आख्यात/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः ‘is born/arises’

• भगवद्भक्तिः: devotion to the Lord
• भगवद्भक्तिः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवद्भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) < भगवत् + भक्ति
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (भगवतः भक्तिः)

• तत्: that (fact)
• तत्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• गतः: having attained (become)
• गतः: क्रियाविशेषण/पूरक (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘gone/attained’ (अहम् इति कर्तरि)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that mere exposure to saints (satsaṅga) is not always sufficient; deep devotion manifests when prior-life merit ripens, highlighting the hidden spiritual maturity carried across births.

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

It frames bhakti as a grace-like awakening supported by pūrva-puṇya: satsanga becomes fruitful when one’s accumulated merit makes the heart receptive to Bhagavan.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is ethical accumulation of puṇya (through dharma, worship, and disciplined conduct) so that satsanga can culminate in stable bhakti.