Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

The Exposition of the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Observed Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

देवसेना महाभागा लब्धा सर्वुसुरार्पिता । अतस्तस्यां सुरश्रेष्ठां देवसेनां च षण्मुखम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

devasenā mahābhāgā labdhā sarvusurārpitā | atastasyāṃ suraśreṣṭhāṃ devasenāṃ ca ṣaṇmukham || 38 ||

Translation

എല്ലാ ദേവന്മാരും അർപ്പിച്ച മഹാഭാഗ്യവതി ദേവസേന ലഭിച്ചു; അവളിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ ദേവശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ഷൺമുഖൻ (സ്കന്ദൻ) പ്രാദുർഭവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• देवसेना: Devasena
• देवसेना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवसेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देवानां सेना)

• महाभागा: most fortunate
• महाभागा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'देवसेना' इत्यस्य; कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्याः)

• लब्धा: was obtained
• लब्धा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate participle (was obtained)

• सर्व-सुर-अर्पिता: offered by all the gods
• सर्व-सुर-अर्पिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पित (कृदन्त; अर्प् धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः सुरैः अर्पिता)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from that)

• तस्याम्: in her/with respect to her
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; pronoun

• सुर-श्रेष्ठाम्: best among the gods
• सुर-श्रेष्ठाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सुरेषु श्रेष्ठा)

• देवसेनाम्: Devasena
• देवसेनाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवसेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; object in ellipsis (to take/choose)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• षण्मुखम्: Shanmukha (Kartikeya)
• षण्मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (षण् मुखानि यस्य)

Speaker

Narada (narrating a puranic summary within the dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devasena
• Shanmukha (Skanda/Kartikeya)
• Devas (gods)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes divine agency and collective deva-ordination: Devasenā is depicted as a gift sanctioned by all gods, and her offspring (Ṣaṇmukha/Skanda) is presented as an exalted divine manifestation, reinforcing the puranic theme that key avatāra-like births occur by cosmic consensus.

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

While not a direct bhakti-injunction, it supports bhakti by portraying revered deities (like Skanda) as divinely instituted; such narratives ground devotional reverence (śraddhā) and legitimize worship through puranic remembrance (smaraṇa) of sacred origins.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse primarily serves puranic genealogy and narrative indexing rather than a Vedāṅga teaching; its practical takeaway is the use of precise naming/epithets (e.g., Ṣaṇmukha) typical of itihāsa-purāṇa style for identification in recitation and ritual storytelling.