Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 99

Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवशो मुनेरतस्य समीक्षतः । अंतर्दधे मृकण्डुश्च तपसः समवर्तत ॥ ९९ ॥

Transliteration

ityuktvā devadevaśo muneratasya samīkṣataḥ | aṃtardadhe mṛkaṇḍuśca tapasaḥ samavartata || 99 ||

Translation

इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवो मुनेस्तस्य समीक्षतः । अन्तर्दधे, मृकण्डुश्च ततस्तपसि समवर्तत ॥ ९९ ॥

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त, ल्यबन्त), from √वच्; indeclinable verbal form; prior action

• देवदेवशः: the God of gods (the Lord)
• देवदेवशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवस्य देवः (lord of gods) + शस्/शः-form used as nominative in some recensions; here subject

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन)

• अतस्य: of him
• अतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन); sandhi form for अस्य/एतस्य in context; used with समीक्षतः

• समीक्षतः: while (he) was watching
• समीक्षतः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/सहकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Present active participle (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त), Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन), Masculine; from √ईक्ष् with उपसर्ग सम्; ‘while (he) was looking’

• अन्तर्दधे: disappeared
• अन्तर्दधे: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर्-धा (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada; from √धा with उपसर्ग अन्तर्; meaning ‘disappeared/withdrew’

• मृकण्डुः: Mṛkaṇḍu
• मृकण्डुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृकण्डु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन)

• समवर्तत: engaged (in) / devoted himself
• समवर्तत: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Verb (तिङन्त), Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada; from √वृत् with उपसर्ग सम्; ‘engaged/turned to’

Speaker

Suta (narrative voice)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devadevesha
• Mrkandu
• Muni

FAQs

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

It highlights a classic Purāṇic pattern: after divine instruction or darśana, the deity withdraws, and the seeker consolidates the blessing through disciplined tapas—showing that realization is stabilized by sustained practice.

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

Even though it emphasizes asceticism, it supports bhakti by showing reverent attentiveness (the sage witnessing the Lord) followed by dedicated spiritual effort—devotion expressed as steadfast practice after receiving divine grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the dhārmic discipline of tapas—regular austerity and restraint as a method for spiritual attainment.