Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 168

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

क्षीराब्धेस्तु तटे रम्यं सुरद्रुमलतांचितम् । उद्यदर्काभुजालाभं स्वधाम्नोज्वालदिङ्मुखम् ॥ १६८ ॥

Transliteration

kṣīrābdhestu taṭe ramyaṃ suradrumalatāṃcitam | udyadarkābhujālābhaṃ svadhāmnojvāladiṅmukham || 168 ||

Translation

क्षीरसागराच्या रम्य तटावर एक मनोहर धाम आहे, जे कल्पवृक्षांवरील लतांनी अलंकृत आहे। ते उगवत्या सूर्यकिरणांच्या जाळ्यासारखे तेजस्वी असून, स्वतःच्या प्रभेने दिशांना उजळविते।

Word by Word

• क्षीर-अब्धेः: of the Milk Ocean
• क्षीर-अब्धेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘क्षीरस्य अब्धिः’ = ocean of milk

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (emphatic/contrastive)

• तटे: on the shore
• तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• रम्यं: beautiful
• रम्यं: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्म-विशेषण (qualifying the object ‘वनम्/धाम’ understood)

• सुर-द्रुम-लता-अञ्चितम्: adorned with creepers of celestial trees
• सुर-द्रुम-लता-अञ्चितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्चित (कृदन्त, √अञ्च्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘सुरद्रुमलताभिः अञ्चितम्’ = adorned with creepers of divine trees

• उद्यत्-अर्क-आभ-उज्वल-आभम्: shining like the rising sun
• उद्यत्-अर्क-आभ-उज्वल-आभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत् (कृदन्त, √उद्+या) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-प्रधानः: ‘उद्यदर्कस्य आभा इव उज्वला आभा यस्य’ = having a brilliance like the rising sun

• स्व-धाम्ना: by its own radiance
• स्व-धाम्ना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘स्वं धाम’ = its own radiance/abode; here instrumental ‘by its own radiance’

• उज्वल-दिक्-मुखम्: making the directions bright
• उज्वल-दिक्-मुखम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: ‘उज्वलाः दिशः मुखानि यस्य’ = whose directions/faces are bright

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kshira-sagara (Ocean of Milk)

FAQs

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

It presents a contemplative vision of a divine realm at the Milk Ocean’s shore—an archetype of purity and transcendence—whose self-effulgence outshines ordinary light, guiding the mind toward the reality of the Supreme’s luminous abode.

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

By describing a radiant, beautiful divine setting, the verse supports bhakti through dhyāna (devotional visualization): the devotee fixes the heart on the Lord’s realm—pure, auspicious, and self-luminous—thereby deepening loving remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It mainly uses cosmological and poetic imagery rather than a specific Vedanga rule; however, the verse models precise Sanskrit compounding and descriptive semantics (useful for Vyākaraṇa-style reading) to interpret sacred geography and theological symbolism.