Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

ततः प्रसन्नवदनः पह्मपत्रायतेक्षणः । प्रादुरासीत्समीपेऽस्याः शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ prasannavadanaḥ pahmapatrāyatekṣaṇaḥ | prādurāsītsamīpe'syāḥ śaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ || 14 ||

Translation

Alors, le visage apaisé et les yeux semblables à des pétales de lotus, le Seigneur—porteur de la conque, du disque et de la massue—se manifesta tout près d’elle.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरकालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'then/thereupon')

• prasanna-vadanaḥ: having a serene face
• prasanna-vadanaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक) + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (face that is serene), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• padma-patrāyata-īkṣaṇaḥ: lotus-petal-long-eyed
• padma-patrāyata-īkṣaṇaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + āyata (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (whose eyes are elongated like lotus-petals), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prādur: manifestly/appearing
• prādur: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prādur (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रादुर्भावार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'manifest/appearing')

• āsīt: was/appeared
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• samīpe: near
• samīpe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• asyāḥ: of her
• asyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ: the bearer of conch, discus, and mace (Viṣṇu)
• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (he who bears conch, discus, and mace), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Purva Bhaga dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It highlights divine grace (anugraha): when the Lord is pleased, He reveals Himself directly—described with auspicious marks (lotus eyes) and protective emblems (conch, discus, mace).

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

The verse implies that sincere devotion culminates in darśana—God becoming experientially present—signifying that bhakti is not merely belief but a relationship that draws the Lord near.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this line; it functions as a narrative marker of darśana using iconic Vaishnava identifiers rather than rules of ritual, grammar, or astrology.