Shloka 163

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

व्यतीतान्पुरुषान्सप्त भाविनस्तु चतुर्दश । नरस्तारयते सर्वानात्मानं च समुद्धरेत् ॥ १६३ ॥

Transliteration

vyatītānpuruṣānsapta bhāvinastu caturdaśa | narastārayate sarvānātmānaṃ ca samuddharet || 163 ||

Translation

മനുഷ്യൻ കഴിഞ്ഞ ഏഴ് തലമുറകളെയും വരാനിരിക്കുന്ന പതിനാലു തലമുറകളെയും എല്ലാം ഭവസാഗരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് കടത്തിവിടാൻ കഴിയും; തന്റെ ആത്മാവിനെയും ഉയർത്തി മോചിപ്പിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• व्यतीतान्: those who have passed away (past ones)
• व्यतीतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यतीत (कृदन्त; वि+अति+इ √इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक विशेषण (past/passive participle)

• पुरुषान्: persons
• पुरुषान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; (यहाँ) पुरुषान् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्; द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे

• भाविनः: those who will be (future ones)
• भाविनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भविष्यत्/आगामि-अर्थक विशेषण (future ones)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेष-प्रदर्शनार्थ

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक; चतुर्+दश)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वक); (यहाँ) भाविनः इति पदस्य विशेषणम्; द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तारयते: saves / ferries across
• तारयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ √तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense not marked; ‘causes to cross/saves’

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्व-विशेषणम् (all)

• आत्मानम्: himself / the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्व-प्रत्ययार्थे (oneself)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• समुद्धरेत्: should rescue / should lift up
• समुद्धरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+हृ √हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: सम्+उद्; विध्यर्थ (should lift up/rescue)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It teaches that a person’s dharmic and spiritually elevating conduct has multigenerational impact—benefiting ancestors and descendants—while simultaneously becoming a means for one’s own self-redemption (ātma-uddhāra).

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

By implying that sincere God-centered dharma (commonly expressed through Vishnu-bhakti and meritorious acts) is not merely personal; it becomes a saving force that “ferries across” one’s family line, reflecting bhakti’s power to uplift others through one devotee’s purity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points more to dharma-phala (results of righteous conduct) than to a specific Vedanga; practically, it aligns with Smarta/Puranic applications such as pitṛ-kriyā (tarpana, śrāddha) and vrata-based merit used in Narada Purana rituals to support lineage welfare.