Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच । जाने वो मानसं दुःखं मृकण्डुतपसोद्गम् । युष्मान्न बाधते देवाः स ऋषिः सज्जनाग्राणीः ॥ ६९ ॥

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca | jāne vo mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ mṛkaṇḍutapasodgam | yuṣmānna bādhate devāḥ sa ṛṣiḥ sajjanāgrāṇīḥ || 69 ||

Translation

ಶ್ರೀಭಗವಾನ್ ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಮೃಕಂಡುವಿನ ತಪಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಉದ್ಭವಿಸಿದ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನದ ದುಃಖವನ್ನು ನಾನು ತಿಳಿದಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ದೇವರುಗಳು ನಿಮಗೆ ತೊಂದರೆ ಕೊಡರು; ಆ ಋಷಿ ಸಜ್ಜನರಲ್ಲಿ ಅಗ್ರಗಣ್ಯನು.

Word by Word

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); संबोधनार्थक-उपाधि (honorific epithet)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• jāne: I know
• jāne: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• vaḥ: your
• vaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) plural (बहुवचन) / enclitic; ‘of you/your’

• mānasam: mental
• mānasam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषण of दुःखम्

• duḥkham: sorrow
• duḥkham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mṛkaṇḍu-tapasaḥ: of (sage) Mṛkaṇḍu’s austerity
• mṛkaṇḍu-tapasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛkaṇḍu + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘of Mṛkaṇḍu’s austerity’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) ‘tapas’, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• udgam: arising/originating (from)
• udgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used as apposition to दुःखम् (‘arising from…’)

• yuṣmān: you (all)
• yuṣmān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• bādhate: afflicts/harms
• bādhate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bādh (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• saḥ: that/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ṛṣiḥ: the sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to सः

• sajjana-agrāṇīḥ: leader of the virtuous
• sajjana-agrāṇīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat-jana + agrāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: ‘leader among good people’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to ऋषिः

Speaker

Sri Bhagavan (the Lord)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Sri Bhagavan
• Mṛkaṇḍu
• Devas
• Rishi

FAQs

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

The verse shows the Lord’s direct awareness of devotees’ inner distress and reassures them that divine order is not meant to harass the righteous; true ascetics like Mṛkaṇḍu are honored as exemplars of sattva and dharma.

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

Bhakti is implied through the Lord’s protective, intimate guidance: when one is aligned with the Lord and dharma, fear of other powers diminishes, and the virtuous devotee or sage is upheld rather than opposed.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is ethical: tapas must be understood within dharma, and spiritual authority is measured by sajjana-status (virtue) rather than mere power.