Shloka 12

यस्य न स्फुरते कीर्तिर्घनस्थेव शतह्रदा । यः पितुर्नोद्धरेत्पक्षं विद्यया वा बलेन वा ॥ १२ ॥

yasya na sphurate kīrtirghanastheva śatahradā | yaḥ piturnoddharetpakṣaṃ vidyayā vā balena vā || 12 ||

Aquel cuya fama no resplandece—como el relámpago oculto en la nube espesa—y que no levanta el “ala” de su padre, es decir, el honor de su linaje, ni por saber ni por fuerza, es tenido por no realizado.

यस्यwhose
यस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-निर्देशकः (relative pronoun)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
स्फुरतेshines forth / throbs / appears
स्फुरते:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootस्फुर् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
कीर्तिःfame
कीर्तिः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootकीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
घनस्थेin a cloud
घनस्थे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeAdjective
Rootघनस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (घने स्थः = 'situated in a cloud')
इवlike
इव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formउपमा-अव्यय (simile particle)
शतह्रदाlightning (lit. 'having a hundred lakes')
शतह्रदा:
Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootशतह्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (शतं ह्रदानि यस्याः/यत्र = 'having a hundred lakes', epithet of lightning)
यःhe who
यः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
पितुःof (his) father
पितुः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
उद्धरेत्should uplift / rescue
उद्धरेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-हृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः उद्-
पक्षम्side; support; wing (i.e., his cause)
पक्षम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
विद्ययाby knowledge
विद्यया:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')
बलेनby strength
बलेन:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootबल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प-अव्यय

Narada (didactic statement within the Uttara-Bhaga discourse)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It teaches that a life gains spiritual weight when one’s virtues become evident in the world and when one supports and elevates one’s lineage through dharmic excellence—especially through learning (vidyā) or disciplined strength (bala).

Indirectly, it frames bhakti as something that should become visible through character and service: devotion is not merely internal sentiment but must ‘shine’ as kīrti—reputation born of dharmic conduct that benefits one’s family and society.

The verse highlights vidyā as a means of uplift—pointing broadly to disciplined learning such as Vyākaraṇa (grammar) and other Vedāṅgas that refine speech, conduct, and competence, making one’s merit publicly manifest.