Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

तेनैवं ब्रह्मणी शत्पा पिशाचत्वं तदा गता । क्षुधार्ता सुस्वरं भीमारुरोदापत्यसंयुता ॥ ६९ ॥

Transliteration

tenaivaṃ brahmaṇī śatpā piśācatvaṃ tadā gatā | kṣudhārtā susvaraṃ bhīmārurodāpatyasaṃyutā || 69 ||

Translation

かくしてその呪いの力により、シャトパーは梵天の御前にてピシャーチーとなった。飢えに責められ、恐るべき大声を発しつつ、子らとともに激しく泣き叫んだ。

Word by Word

• तेन: by that / thus
• तेन: करण (Karaṇa/instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• ब्रह्मणी: the Brahmin woman
• ब्रह्मणी: कर्ता (Karta/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मणी (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्रीलिङ्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• शत्पा: cursed
• शत्पा: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शप्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √शप् ‘to curse’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण (past participle used adjectivally)

• पिशाचत्वम्: the state of being a piśāca
• पिशाचत्वम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त; समासार्थः: पिशाच-त्वम् (तत्पुरुष/उपपद-भाव)

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• गता: went/attained; became
• गता: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) from √गम्; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियापदवत् (periphrastic past: ‘became/went’)

• क्षुधा: hunger
• क्षुधा: हेतु/करण (Cause/instrument in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; (समास-पूर्वपद)

• आर्ता: afflicted (by)
• आर्ता: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √ऋ ‘to suffer’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः: क्षुधा-आर्ता (तत्पुरुषः—‘hunger-afflicted’)

• सु: well/very
• सु: विशेषण-उपपद (Intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद-निपात (prefix ‘well/very’)

• स्वरम्: voice/sound
• स्वरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (accusative of manner/sound)

• भीमा: terrible
• भीमा: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अरुरोद: she cried
• अरुरोद: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अपत्य: offspring/child
• अपत्य: सहकारक (Accompaniment, in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन/बहुवचन-समासार्थे (in compound sense)

• संयुता: joined with; accompanied by
• संयुता: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सम्+√युज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः: अपत्य-संयुता (तत्पुरुषः—युक्ता सह)

Speaker

Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Śatpā
• Piśāca (piśācī)
• Offspring (āpatya)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karmic consequence: harmful actions or curses can lead to a degraded state of consciousness and existence (piśācatva), marked by suffering such as insatiable hunger and fear.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts spiritual upliftment with degradation—implying that turning toward sattva, restraint, and devotion protects one from lower impulses and the painful outcomes of adharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; the takeaway is ethical discipline (dharma) as the foundation that supports all Vedic practice, including mantra and ritual.