Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative

Devanagari script

वटच्छदे शयानोऽभूत्सर्वशक्तिसमन्वितः । तस्मिन्स्थाने महाभागो नारायणपरायणः । मार्कंडेयः स्थिनस्तस्य लीलाः पश्यन्महेशितुः ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

vaṭacchade śayāno'bhūtsarvaśaktisamanvitaḥ | tasminsthāne mahābhāgo nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ | mārkaṃḍeyaḥ sthinastasya līlāḥ paśyanmaheśituḥ || 46 ||

Translation

バニヤンの葉の天蓋の下に横たわり、彼はあらゆる力を具えた。まさにその場所で、大いなる福徳を備えナーラーヤナ（Nārāyaṇa）に全託する聖仙マールカンデーヤ（Mārkaṇḍeya）は留まり、至上主のリーラー（līlā）を拝観していた。

Word by Word

• vaṭacchade: On the banyan leaf
• vaṭacchade: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṭacchada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• śayānaḥ: Lying down/Sleeping
• śayānaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīṅ (शीङ् स्वप्ने)
• Form: Present Participle (Shanach), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• abhūt: Was/Became
• abhūt: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू सत्तायाम्)
• Form: Aorist (Lung/लुङ्), 3rd Person, Singular

• sarvaśaktisamanvitaḥ: Endowed with all powers
• sarvaśaktisamanvitaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarvaśaktisamanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tasmin: In that
• tasmin: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sthāne: Place/Spot
• sthāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• mahābhāgaḥ: Greatly fortunate/Illustrious
• mahābhāgaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahābhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ: Devoted to Narayana
• nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nārāyaṇaparāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• mārkaṃḍeyaḥ: Sage Markandeya
• mārkaṃḍeyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sthitaḥ: Stood/Remained
• sthitaḥ: Kriya/Visheshana
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था गतिनिवृत्तौ)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (Kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tasya: His (Hari's)
• tasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• līlāḥ: Pastimes/Divine sports
• līlāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• paśyan: Seeing/Watching
• paśyan: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛś (दृशिर् प्रेक्षणे)
• Form: Present Participle (Shatri), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• maheśituḥ: Of the Great Lord
• maheśituḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayaṇa (Vishnu)
• Markandeya
• Maheshitu (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

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

It highlights that steadfast devotion to Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇatā) culminates in direct contemplation of the Lord’s līlā, where divine power and grace are experienced as a lived spiritual reality.

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

Bhakti is shown as single-pointed reliance on Nārāyaṇa; Mārkaṇḍeya’s steadiness and vision of the Lord’s play indicates that devotion matures into darśana—seeing the Lord’s presence and actions everywhere.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is contemplative discipline (steady attention and remembrance of Nārāyaṇa) as the supportive practice behind spiritual vision.