Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

स राजा प्राप्तराज्यस्तु पितृपैतामहं क्रमात् । पालयामास धर्मेण पितृवद्रंजयन् प्रजाः ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

sa rājā prāptarājyastu pitṛpaitāmahaṃ kramāt | pālayāmāsa dharmeṇa pitṛvadraṃjayan prajāḥ || 6 ||

Translation

Ce roi, ayant obtenu le royaume selon l’ordre héréditaire de son père et de son aïeul, régna selon le dharma, réjouissant ses sujets comme un père le ferait pour ses enfants.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्त-राज्यः: having obtained the kingdom
• प्राप्त-राज्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त; प्र-आप् धातु, क्त) + राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘प्राप्तं राज्यं यस्य’ (having obtained the kingdom)

• तु: indeed / and
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/contrast)

• पितृ-पैतामहम्: (the kingdom) of father and grandfather (ancestral)
• पितृ-पैतामहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + पैतामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (पितृ च पैतामहं च)

• क्रमात्: in succession / by due order
• क्रमात्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (ablative used adverbially): ‘in due order / successively’

• पालयामास: ruled / protected
• पालयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (धातु; causative from पाल्)
• Form: लिट् (periphrastic perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मेण: by righteousness
• धर्मेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितृवत्: like a father
• पितृवत्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पितृवत् (अव्यय; -वत् suffix)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative adverb): ‘like a father’

• रञ्जयन्: pleasing
• रञ्जयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज् (धातु) → रञ्जयन्त् (शतृ-प्रत्यय, present participle; causative stem)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘pleasing’

• प्रजाः: the subjects / people
• प्रजाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Moksha-Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It presents dharmic rulership (ruling as a protector like a father) as a sacred duty: social order and the welfare of prajā are upheld through dharma, creating the ethical ground on which higher spiritual pursuits, including mokṣa-dharma, can flourish.

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

While not explicitly naming bhakti, it reflects a bhakti-aligned ethic: leadership becomes service (sevā) to living beings, and such compassionate, dharma-based protection is consistent with devotion-centered living praised in Narada Muni’s teachings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Śikṣā) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is Rajadharma—administering society according to dharma and ensuring the contentment and protection of the people.