Shloka 32

Kāṣṭhīla-Upākhyāna: Rākṣasī, Spear-Śakti, and Kāśī as Śakti-kṣetra

Devanagari script

ईशस्य कृत्यं द्विज दुर्विभाव्यं धर्मानुकूल्येन समास्थितस्य । व्यासः स्वयं वेदविभागकर्त्ता पाराशरिस्तत्त्वदृगिज्यमूर्तिः । कन्यात्वविध्वसकवीर्यजन्मा कानीनसंज्ञोऽनुजदारगामी ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

īśasya kṛtyaṃ dvija durvibhāvyaṃ dharmānukūlyena samāsthitasya | vyāsaḥ svayaṃ vedavibhāgakarttā pārāśaristattvadṛgijyamūrtiḥ | kanyātvavidhvasakavīryajanmā kānīnasaṃjño'nujadāragāmī || 32 ||

Translation

ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜ! ଧର୍ମାନୁକୂଳ ଭାବେ ସ୍ଥିତ ଈଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟଲୀଳା ବୁଝିବା ଦୁର୍ଲଭ। ସ୍ୱୟଂ ବ୍ୟାସ—ବେଦବିଭାଗକର୍ତ୍ତା—ପରାଶରି, ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଦର୍ଶୀ, ପୂଜ୍ୟମୂର୍ତ୍ତି—କନ୍ୟାତ୍ୱ ବିଧ୍ୱଂସକ ବୀର୍ୟରୁ ଜନ୍ମିଥିଲେ; ‘କାନୀନ’ ନାମେ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ ହୋଇ, ପରେ ଅନୁଜଙ୍କ ପତ୍ନୀଙ୍କ ନିକଟକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଗଲେ।

Word by Word

• ईशस्य: of the Lord
• ईशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कृत्यम्: deed/act
• कृत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as विषय/उद्देश्य (topic)

• द्विज: O brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• दुर्विभाव्यम्: hard to comprehend
• दुर्विभाव्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + विभाव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) from √भू/√भाव (to conceive) with वि-; उपसर्ग: दुर्- (difficult)

• धर्मानुकूल्येन: by conformity to dharma
• धर्मानुकूल्येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अनुकूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समास: धर्मस्य अनुकूल्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• समास्थितस्य: of (him) who has undertaken
• समास्थितस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘समास्थित’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of one who has undertaken/assumed’

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-vishesana (कर्तृविशेषण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वतन्त्रकर्तृबोधक अव्यय (reflexive/emphatic adverb)

• वेदविभागकर्त्ता: the divider/arranger of the Vedas
• वेदविभागकर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + विभाग + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: वेदानां विभागस्य कर्ता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पाराशरिः: son of Parāśara
• पाराशरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाराशरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गोत्र/पितृव्युत्पन्न (patronymic: son of Parāśara)

• तत्त्वदृगिज्यमूर्तिः: one whose form is worthy of worship and who sees truth
• तत्त्वदृगिज्यमूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व + दृग् + इज्या + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास (बहुपद): तत्त्वदृक् (तत्त्वं पश्यति) + इज्यमूर्ति (इज्या-अर्हा मूर्तिः) — समाहारतत्पुरुष-प्राय

• कन्यात्वविध्वसकवीर्यजन्मा: born of potency that destroyed maidenhood
• कन्यात्वविध्वसकवीर्यजन्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्यात्व + विध्वंसक + वीर्य + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: कन्यात्वविध्वंसकं वीर्यं यस्य जन्म (whose birth is from potency that destroys maidenhood)

• कानीनसंज्ञः: named ‘Kānīna’
• कानीनसंज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कानीन + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: कानीन इति संज्ञा यस्य (नामधारक)

• अनुजदारगामी: one who went to (took) the younger brother’s wife
• अनुजदारगामी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुज + दार + गामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: अनुजस्य दारान् गच्छति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Narada (narrative voice within Uttara-Bhaga context; dialogue tradition attributed to Narada’s instruction stream)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"Begins in wonder at the Lord’s inscrutable governance aligned with dharma, then settles into sober reflection through the morally complex biography of Vyāsa."}

Characters & Entities

• Isha (the Lord)
• Vyasa
• Parashara

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Lord’s providence operates through dharma yet remains beyond ordinary human calculation, and it frames Vyāsa’s extraordinary life as an instrument of that divine order.

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

By presenting Vyāsa as an ‘embodiment of worship’ (ijyā-mūrti), the verse implies that true devotion expresses itself as dharma-aligned service—preserving revelation (Vedas) and guiding society through sacred knowledge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to Veda-vibhāga (systematizing and arranging Vedic recensions), which connects to disciplined transmission supported by Vedāṅga tools such as Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar) for accurate preservation.