Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali

Devanagari script

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं नानाजीवसमाकुलम् । तेनैव दग्धा दैतेया ये प्रधर्षयितुं गताः ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

śatayojanavistīrṇaṃ nānājīvasamākulam | tenaiva dagdhā daiteyā ye pradharṣayituṃ gatāḥ || 51 ||

Translation

S’étendant sur cent yojanas et foisonnant d’êtres vivants variés, c’est par cette même puissance de feu que furent brûlés les Daityas partis pour l’assaillir.

Word by Word

• शत-योजन-विस्तीर्णम्: spanning a hundred yojanas
• शत-योजन-विस्तीर्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तीर्ण (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शतयोजनैः विस्तीर्णम् = “spread over a hundred yojanas” (here qualifying काननम् understood)

• नाना-जीव-समाकुलम्: teeming with many creatures
• नाना-जीव-समाकुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: नानाजीवैः समाकुलम् = “crowded with various creatures”

• तेन: by that (fire)
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• दग्धाः: were burned
• दग्धाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “burnt” (predicate)

• दैतेयाः: the Daityas
• दैतेयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• प्रधर्षयितुम्: to attack
• प्रधर्षयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + धर्ष् (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन: “to assault/violate/attack”

• गताः: having gone
• गताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “having gone”

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: raudra (anger)

Characters & Entities

• Daiteya
• Daitya

FAQs

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

It underscores a dharmic principle: aggression against a protected sacred domain (teeming with life) rebounds upon the aggressor; divine or intrinsic protective power preserves the order of beings.

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

While not a direct bhakti instruction, the narrative supports bhakti ethics: devotees align with divine order (rakṣaṇa of life and sacred spaces), whereas hostile intent (pradharṣaṇa) leads to self-destruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it uses traditional cosmological measurement (yojana), echoing Purāṇic-astronomical framing often connected with Jyotiṣa-style spatial imagination, though no explicit Vedāṅga procedure is taught in this verse.