Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds

Devanagari script

भगीरथ उवाच । भगवन्सर्वधर्मज्ञ समदर्शित् सुरेश्वर । कृपया परयाविष्टो यत्पृच्छामि वदस्व तत् ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

bhagīratha uvāca | bhagavansarvadharmajña samadarśit sureśvara | kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo yatpṛcchāmi vadasva tat || 41 ||

Translation

ഭഗീരഥൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഭഗവൻ! നിങ്ങൾ സർവ്വധർമ്മജ്ഞനും സമദർശിയും ദേവേശ്വരനും ആകുന്നു. പരമകരുണയോടെ ഞാൻ ചോദിക്കുന്നതു പറയണമേ.

Word by Word

• bhagīrathaḥ: Bhagīratha
• bhagīrathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagīratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (speaker tag)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• sarva-dharma-jña: knower of all dharmas
• sarva-dharma-jña: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘sarveṣāṃ dharmāṇāṃ jñaḥ’, Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• sama-darśin: O impartial seer
• sama-darśin: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक) + darśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘samaḥ darśī’, Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• sureśvara: O lord of the gods
• sureśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘surāṇām īśvaraḥ’, Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• kṛpayā: by compassion
• kṛpayā: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• parayā: supreme
• parayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; qualifies ‘kṛpayā’

• āviṣṭaḥ: possessed/filled
• āviṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āviṣṭa (कृदन्त) < ā-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• yat: what
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun correlating with ‘tat’

• pṛcchāmi: I ask
• pṛcchāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• vadasva: please tell
• vadasva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; correlative to ‘yat’

Speaker

Bhagiratha

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagiratha
• Sureshvara

FAQs

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

It highlights the ideal spiritual posture: humility, reverence for the dharma-knowing authority, and sincere inquiry—seen as the doorway to receiving transformative instruction.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as reverential surrender—addressing the divine/teacher as compassionate and all-knowing, and requesting guidance with trust rather than argument.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the method of learning—asking precise questions respectfully, which underlies effective study of śāstra (including Vyākaraṇa and other Vedāṅgas).