Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 7

Śuka’s Origin, Mastery of Śāstra, and Testing at Janaka’s Court

Devanagari script

वरयामास देवेशमास्थितस्तप उत्तमम् । अतिष्टन्मारुताहारः शतं किल समाः प्रभुः ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

varayāmāsa deveśamāsthitastapa uttamam | atiṣṭanmārutāhāraḥ śataṃ kila samāḥ prabhuḥ || 7 ||

Translation

അവൻ ഉത്തമമായ തപസ്സിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട് ദേവേശ്വരനെ പ്രാർത്ഥിച്ചു. വായുവിനെ മാത്രം ആഹാരമാക്കി ആ മഹാബലൻ നൂറു വർഷം നിലകൊണ്ടുവെന്ന് പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वरयामास: chose
• वरयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘he chose/selected’

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; देव-ईश = ‘lord of gods’

• आस्थितः: having undertaken
• आस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+स्था (धातु) → आस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle (kta) ‘having undertaken/entered upon’

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (austerity)

• उत्तमम्: supreme/excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; agreeing with तपः

• अतिष्ठत्: remained
• अतिष्ठत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘he stood/remained’

• मारुताहारः: air-fed (living on air)
• मारुताहारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; ‘one whose food is wind/air’

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular used adverbially with time (for a hundred)

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; hearsay/emphasis particle (‘indeed/it is said’)

• समाः: years
• समाः: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; ‘years’

• प्रभुः: the lord/master (he)
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Moksha-Dharma teaching stream to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: tapas (shanta)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devesha (Lord of the gods)

FAQs

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

It highlights unwavering tapas (austerity) and radical self-restraint as a means of single-pointed God-seeking—showing that sustained discipline purifies the seeker and intensifies longing for the Divine.

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

Even though the verse speaks in the language of tapas, its core is devotional intent: he “sought the Lord of the gods” with total dedication, implying that devotion can express itself as steadfast vows and renunciation aimed at divine grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana or Jyotisha) is taught here; the practical takeaway is sadhana-vidhi—discipline of fasting/restraint (āhāra-niyama) used in Purāṇic vrata and tapas traditions.