Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali

Devanagari script

शूलैर्नालीकनाराचैः क्षेपणीयैस्समुद्ररैः । रथाश्वनागपदगैः सङ्कुलो ववृधे रणः ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

śūlairnālīkanārācaiḥ kṣepaṇīyaissamudraraiḥ | rathāśvanāgapadagaiḥ saṅkulo vavṛdhe raṇaḥ || 27 ||

Translation

ສົງຄາມນັ້ນເພີ່ມພູນເປັນຄວາມວຸ່ນວາຍໜາແໜ້ນ—ເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍຫອກສາມງ່າ (ຊູລະ), ດ້ວຍລູກສອນມີງ່າມ ແລະລູກສອນກ້ານອ້ອຍ, ດ້ວຍອາວຸດຂວ້າງ ແລະຄ້ອນຮົບ; ແອດແນ່ນດ້ວຍລົດຮົບ, ມ້າ, ຊ້າງ, ແລະທະຫານຍ່າງທາງ।

Word by Word

• शूलैः: with spears/tridents
• शूलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन

• नालीक-नाराचैः: with reed-shafted arrows
• नालीक-नाराचैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नालीक (प्रातिपदिक) + नाराच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन

• क्षेपणीयैः: throwable, to be hurled
• क्षेपणीयैः: Karana-anvaya (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) → क्षेपणीय (कृदन्त/तव्यत्-प्रत्यय, योग्यतावाचक)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (fit to be thrown); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन; विशेषण (of आयुधैः implied)

• समुद्ररैः: with (weapons called) samudraras
• समुद्ररैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्रर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन

• रथ-अश्व-नाग-पदगैः: with chariots, horses, elephants, and foot-soldiers
• रथ-अश्व-नाग-पदगैः: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु—means/cause of crowding)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + पदग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (collective/copulative)

• सङ्कुलः: crowded, confused
• सङ्कुलः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सङ्कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (of रणः)

• ववृधे: grew, increased
• ववृधे: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु) → ववृधे
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• रणः: the battle
• रणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrator) / Purana narrator (battle description in the ongoing narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra (anger)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

FAQs

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

It portrays the overwhelming intensity of conflict, setting a narrative backdrop where dharma is tested; such scenes in Purāṇas typically prepare the reader for moral instruction on righteous conduct and the consequences of violence driven by adharma.

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

This specific verse is descriptive rather than devotional; indirectly, it contrasts worldly turmoil with the Purāṇic ideal that refuge in the Divine (bhakti) is the stabilizing path amid the chaos of saṃsāra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No Vedāṅga instruction is explicit here; the verse mainly uses precise martial vocabulary and compound formation (a Vyākaraṇa-relevant feature), showing how Sanskrit compounds compactly enumerate many battlefield elements.