Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Śuka’s Yoga-ascent, the Echo of ‘Bhoḥ’, and the Vaikuṇṭha Vision

Devanagari script

यत्र विदुमसोपानाः स्वर्णरत्नविचित्रिताः । वाप्य उत्पलंसंछन्नाः सुरस्त्रीक्रीडनाकुलाः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

yatra vidumasopānāḥ svarṇaratnavicitritāḥ | vāpya utpalaṃsaṃchannāḥ surastrīkrīḍanākulāḥ || 44 ||

Translation

അവിടെ വിദുമമണിയാൽ നിർമ്മിതമായ പടികൾ സ്വർണ്ണവും രത്നങ്ങളുംകൊണ്ട് വിചിത്രമായി അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; കുളങ്ങൾ ഉത്പലപദ്മങ്ങളാൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ട് ദേവസ്ത്രീകളുടെ ക്രീഡകളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक relative adverb (‘where’)

• विदुम-सोपानाः: coral steps/stairways
• विदुम-सोपानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदुम (प्रातिपदिक) + सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विदुममयाः सोपानाः = steps made of coral)

• स्वर्ण-रत्न-विचित्रिताः: adorned with gold and jewels
• स्वर्ण-रत्न-विचित्रिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + विचित्रित (कृदन्त; √चित्र् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व-आधारित तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्णेण रत्नैश्च विचित्रिताः = adorned with gold and gems)

• वाप्यः: ponds/tanks
• वाप्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• उत्पल-संछन्नाः: covered with lotuses
• उत्पल-संछन्नाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक) + संछन्न (कृदन्त; √छद् धातु, सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उत्पलैः संछन्नाः = covered with lotuses)

• सुर-स्त्री-क्रीडन-आकुलाः: teeming with the play of celestial women
• सुर-स्त्री-क्रीडन-आकुलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रीडन (प्रातिपदिक) + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सुरस्त्रीणां क्रीडनेन आकुलाः = filled with the play of divine women)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

FAQs

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

It portrays the divine realm’s purity and abundance as a symbolic outcome of dharma and devotion—an image meant to inspire detachment from worldly pleasure and aspiration for higher, sattvic attainment.

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

By describing a divine abode filled with auspicious beauty, it supports the Purana’s bhakti-oriented teaching that loving devotion to the Lord culminates in reaching an exalted, blissful state beyond ordinary human experience.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga is taught in this verse; it is primarily a descriptive (stuti) passage presenting the phala (result) and atmosphere of a divine loka rather than technical instruction in ritual, grammar, or astrology.