Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge

Jñāna-pradarśanam

Devanagari script

कश्चिदासीत्पुरा विप्र ब्राह्मणो रैवतेऽन्तरे । वेदमालिरिति ख्यातो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

kaścidāsītpurā vipra brāhmaṇo raivate'ntare | vedamāliriti khyāto vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ || 10 ||

Translation

Wahai brāhmaṇa, pada zaman dahulu—ketika pemerintahan Raivata—hidup seorang brāhmaṇa bernama Vedamāli, masyhur menguasai Veda serta segala Vedāṅga.

Word by Word

• कश्चित्: a certain (person)
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• विप्र: O sage/brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कश्चित् इत्यस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• रैवते: in the Raivata (Manvantara)
• रैवते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; (मन्वन्तर-नाम)

• अन्तरे: during/within
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; ‘अन्तरे’ = within/during

• वेदमालिः: Vedamāli
• वेदमालिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘वेदानां मालिन्’ (one adorned with/possessing Vedas) (proper name)

• इति: thus/namely
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/इत्यर्थ (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: was known (as)
• ख्यातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ख्या (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ख्यात’ = renowned/called

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: master of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + वेदाङ्ग + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘वेदेषु वेदाङ्गेषु च पारगः’ = one who has mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas; विशेषण (of ब्राह्मणः/वेदमालिः)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Raivata
• Vedamāli

FAQs

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

It introduces an exemplary brāhmaṇa whose authority rests on complete Vedic learning, establishing that the forthcoming teaching or episode is grounded in śāstra (Veda) and disciplined knowledge.

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

Indirectly: by presenting a Veda–Vedāṅga master, it frames bhakti and dharma as practices best understood and sustained when aligned with scriptural knowledge rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights competence in the Vedāṅgas—such as Śikṣā (phonetics), Vyākaraṇa (grammar), Chandas (meter), Nirukta (etymology), Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology), and Kalpa (ritual procedure)—as the mark of a true Vedic expert.