Shloka 50

Kāruṇya-stotra Phalaśruti; Dream-Darśana of Vāsudeva; Manifestation and Pratiṣṭhā of Jagannātha, Balabhadra (Ananta), and Subhadrā

Devanagari script

सपुरग्रामनगरा चतुर्वणैरलंकृता । यत्र त्वं नृपशार्दूल प्रजापालयिता प्रभुः ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

sapuragrāmanagarā caturvaṇairalaṃkṛtā | yatra tvaṃ nṛpaśārdūla prajāpālayitā prabhuḥ || 50 ||

Translation

புரங்கள், கிராமங்கள், நகரங்கள் ஆகியவற்றால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டும் நான்கு வர்ணங்களின் இருப்பால் சிறப்புற்றும் உள்ள அந்த நாட்டில், அரசர்களில் புலியே, நீர் மக்களைப் பாதுகாக்கும் ஆண்டவனென ஆட்சி செய்வீர்।

Word by Word

• sa: he
• sa: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• pura-grāma-nagarā: (with) cities, villages, and towns
• pura-grāma-nagarā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense via predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक) + grāma (प्रातिपदिक) + nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective dvandva)

• catur-varṇaiḥ: by the four varṇas
• catur-varṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास

• alaṃkṛtā: adorned, embellished
• alaṃkṛtā: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alaṃkṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with implied ‘purī’/‘bhūmiḥ’)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-स्थानवाचक (relative adverb of place)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• nṛpa-śārdūla: O tiger among kings
• nṛpa-śārdūla: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nṛpāṇāṃ śārdūlaḥ)

• prajā-pālayitā: protector of the subjects
• prajā-pālayitā: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāl (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तृच्/agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (prajāḥ pālayitā)

• prabhuḥ: lord, ruler
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (addressing a king in a mahatmya/royal-dharma assurance)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It frames righteous kingship as a dharmic vocation: a realm becomes “adorned” when society is harmonized (four varṇas functioning properly) and the king’s primary tapas is prajā-pālana—protecting and sustaining the people.

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

While not explicitly naming bhakti, it implies that devotion is expressed through duty: a ruler devoted to dharma serves as God’s instrument by safeguarding subjects and maintaining social order, which supports collective religious life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it points to dharma-informed governance grounded in śāstra: knowledge of varṇāśrama duties and normative conduct (smṛti/purāṇic guidance) necessary for administering society.