Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 61

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तावा सा पपातास्य राक्षसस्य पदाग्रतः । एवं संप्रार्थ्यमानोऽपि ब्राह्मण्या राक्षसो द्विजम् ॥ ६२ ॥

Transliteration

ityuktāvā sā papātāsya rākṣasasya padāgrataḥ | evaṃ saṃprārthyamāno'pi brāhmaṇyā rākṣaso dvijam || 62 ||

Translation

असे बोलून ती त्या राक्षसाच्या पायांपुढे कोसळली. ब्राह्मणीने आर्त विनवणी केली तरीही राक्षसाने त्या द्विजाला पकडले.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• पपात: fell down
• पपात: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अस्य: of him / his
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• राक्षसस्य: of the demon
• राक्षसस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• पद-अग्रतः: in front of (his) feet
• पद-अग्रतः: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तद्धितान्त-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'in front of/at the feet'), तसिल्-प्रत्यय (tas)

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध (Manner marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• संप्रार्थ्यमानः: being earnestly begged
• संप्रार्थ्यमानः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present passive participle/शानच्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (being earnestly entreated)

• अपि: even, although
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• ब्राह्मण्या: by the Brahmin woman
• ब्राह्मण्या: करण/कर्ता (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• राक्षसः: the demon
• राक्षसः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजम्: the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Suta-style narrative voice within the Purana; specific speaker not explicit in this isolated shloka)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa
• Brāhmaṇī
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

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

It highlights the contrast between dharmic humility (the brāhmaṇī falling at the feet in supplication) and adharma (the rākṣasa ignoring righteous pleas), implying that mere worldly negotiation may fail against entrenched unrighteousness.

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

By showing the failure of human appeals before adharma, the narrative implicitly points toward taking refuge in divine protection—classically resolved in Purāṇic contexts through remembrance of Vishnu, prayer, and dharmic steadfastness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, or Jyotiṣa) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical—upholding dharma and seeking rightful protection when a brāhmaṇa (dvija) is threatened.