Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

एवमुर्को दीक्षितेन प्रहसन्वामनोऽब्रवीत् । देहि मे तपसि स्थातुं भूमिं त्रिपदसंमिताम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

evamurko dīkṣitena prahasanvāmano'bravīt | dehi me tapasi sthātuṃ bhūmiṃ tripadasaṃmitām || 14 ||

Translation

Ainsi, interpellé par le sacrifiant consacré, Vāmana, le brahmane nain, souriant, répondit : «Accorde-moi une terre mesurée à trois pas, afin que je puisse m’y tenir pour mon austérité».

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• उर्कः: Urka (name/epithet)
• उर्कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता/नाम (proper name/epithet)

• दीक्षितेन: with the initiated one
• दीक्षितेन: Sahakari (सहकारी/associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; √दिक्ष्/दीक्ष् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सहार्थे (with/along with)

• प्रहसन्: smiling/laughing
• प्रहसन्: Karta (कर्ता/agentive participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उर्कः/वामनः इति विशेषणम्

• वामनः: Vāmana
• वामनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; enclitic

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थातुम्: to stay/stand
• स्थातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), 'to stand/remain'

• भूमिम्: land
• भूमिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्रि-पद-संमिताम्: measured by three steps
• त्रि-पद-संमिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (प्रातिपदिक; √मा + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भूमिम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः = त्रिभिः पदैः संमिता (measured by three steps)

Speaker

Vamana (Vishnu in dwarf form)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Characters & Entities

• Vamana
• Vishnu
• Dikshita (yajamana/Bali)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how the Lord, appearing as Vāmana, asks for something seemingly small—three steps of land—revealing that divine purpose can be hidden within humility, testing the depth of the giver’s dharma and truthfulness.

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

Vāmana’s gentle, smiling request invites a devotional response rooted in faith and surrender: true bhakti is shown when one offers without pride and accepts that the Lord may expand a “small” offering into total transformation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The term dīkṣita points to śrauta-yajña procedure (kalpa): a consecrated yajamāna bound by ritual vows and truthfulness; it also reflects dharmic rules around dāna (gift-giving) made during sacrificial contexts.