Shloka 17

Dharmāṅgada’s Conquest of the Directions

Devanagari script

कुर्वतां ते महीपाल आनीतास्तव मंदिरे । ततोऽहं वारुणं लोकं रसातलतलस्थितम् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

kurvatāṃ te mahīpāla ānītāstava maṃdire | tato'haṃ vāruṇaṃ lokaṃ rasātalatalasthitam || 17 ||

Translation

ಹೇ ಮಹೀಪಾಲ! ನಿನ್ನ ಜನರು ಆ ಕಾರ್ಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ, ನನ್ನನ್ನು ನಿನ್ನ ಮಂದಿರಕ್ಕೆ ಕರೆತಂದರು. ನಂತರ ರಸಾತಲತಲದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ವರುಣಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ನಾನು ಹೋದೆನು॥೧೭॥

Word by Word

• कुर्वताम्: of (your) doers/while (they) were doing
• कुर्वताम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; present active participle, genitive plural (‘of those doing’)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; pronoun, genitive singular

• महीपाल: O king (protector of the earth)
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (महीम् पालयति), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; vocative singular

• आनीताः: were brought
• आनीताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; PPP, masculine nominative plural

• तव: your
• तव: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; pronoun, genitive singular

• मन्दिरे: in the temple/house
• मन्दिरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; neuter locative singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Desha/Kala (देश/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/क्रमबोधक; indeclinable adverb ‘then/from there’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun, nominative singular

• वारुणम्: of Varuṇa/Varuṇa’s
• वारुणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective, masculine accusative singular

• लोकम्: world/realm
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; masculine accusative singular

• रसातलतलस्थितम्: situated on the floor of Rasātala
• रसातलतलस्थितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रसातल-तल-स्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (रसातलस्य तले स्थितः), ‘स्थित’ = कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective/PPP-based, masculine accusative singular

Speaker

Narrator (a first-person speaker within the Tirtha-Mahatmya episode; framed in the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_journey":"From courtly action (being brought to the palace) to sudden cosmic descent—journeying to Varuṇa’s realm in Rasātala—evoking wonder and latent heroic tension."}

Characters & Entities

• Varuna
• Rasatala

FAQs

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

It situates the narrative within Purāṇic cosmology—linking human action (the king’s court/palace) to trans-human realms (Varuṇa’s loka in Rasātala), emphasizing that dharmic events and divine jurisdictions extend across multiple lokas.

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

Indirectly: by acknowledging Varuṇa’s realm and the ordered governance of the universe, the verse supports the bhakti worldview that divine powers preside over moral and cosmic order—encouraging reverence and disciplined conduct aligned with dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Purāṇic cosmography rather than a Vedāṅga; however, it aligns with Jyotiṣa-style mapping of worlds/planes (lokas) used in traditional sacred geography and ritual imagination.