Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Bharata’s Attachment and the Palanquin Teaching on ‘I’ and ‘Mine’

Devanagari script

क्षत्ता सौवीरराज्यस्य विष्टियोग्यममन्यत । स राजा शिबिकारूढो गंतुं कृतमतिर्द्विज ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

kṣattā sauvīrarājyasya viṣṭiyogyamamanyata | sa rājā śibikārūḍho gaṃtuṃ kṛtamatirdvija || 44 ||

Translation

Ô brāhmaṇa, l’officier de cour (kṣattā) du royaume de Sauvīra estima que cet homme était propre au travail forcé (viṣṭi). Le roi, assis dans son palanquin, avait décidé de poursuivre sa route.

Word by Word

• kṣattā: the attendant (kṣattā)
• kṣattā: Karta (कर्ता) of amanyata
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘charioteer/attendant’ (kṣattā)

• sauvīra-rājyasya: of the Sauvīra kingdom
• sauvīra-rājyasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation) to kṣattā
• Type: Noun
• Root: sauvīra (प्रातिपदिक) + rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘sauvīrasya rājyaṃ’ (the kingdom of Sauvīra)

• viṣṭi-yogyam: fit for forced labor
• viṣṭi-yogyam: Karma (कर्म) (object-complement) of amanyata
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: ‘viṣṭyā yogyaḥ’ (fit for forced labor)

• amanyata: considered; thought
• amanyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; ātmanepada; ‘he considered’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied action in 2nd half)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; pronoun

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Apposition to saḥ (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śibikā-rūḍhaḥ: seated in a palanquin
• śibikā-rūḍhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rājā/saḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śibikā (प्रातिपदिक) + rūḍha (कृदन्त, क्त from √ruh)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; PPP (क्त) from √ruh (रुह्) ‘to mount’; tatpuruṣa: ‘śibikāyāṃ rūḍhaḥ’ (mounted in a palanquin)

• gantum: to go
• gantum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) / infinitival purpose
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) + gantum (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Tumunanta infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to go’; expresses purpose

• kṛta-matiḥ: resolved; determined
• kṛta-matiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rājā/saḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त, क्त from √kṛ) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: ‘kṛtā matiḥ yasya’ (whose mind is made up/resolved)

• dvija: O brahmin
• dvija: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

Speaker

Narrator (Purana narration in context; dialogue frame traditionally involves Narada and Sanatkumara, but this verse is narrative description).

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Sauvira
• Raja (King)
• Kṣattā (royal attendant)

FAQs

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

It highlights how worldly power operates through compulsion (viṣṭi) and sets up a dharmic reflection: coercive authority binds one to karmic consequences, whereas mokṣa-oriented life requires restraint, compassion, and justice.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts royal pride and coercive action with the humility central to bhakti; devotion to Vishnu is strengthened when rulers and individuals act without exploiting others and cultivate compassion as a divine quality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa-based clarity of technical terms is relevant: the verse uses the administrative-dharmic term viṣṭi (corvée/forced labor), reminding readers that precise understanding of such terms is necessary when interpreting dharma narratives in Purāṇic literature.