Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

स कदाचिन्महीपालो रेवातीरे मनोरमे । विचित्रकुसुमोपेतं कृतवान्विष्णुमन्दिरम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

sa kadācinmahīpālo revātīre manorame | vicitrakusumopetaṃ kṛtavānviṣṇumandiram || 12 ||

Translation

ఒకసారి ఆ మహీపాలుడు మనోహరమైన రేవా తీరంలో నానావిధ పుష్పాలతో అలంకరించిన శ్రీవిష్ణు మందిరాన్ని నిర్మించాడు।

Word by Word

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

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• महीपालः: the king (protector of the earth)
• महीपालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मही (earth) + पाल (protector)

• रेवातीरे: on the bank of the Reva (Narmadā)
• रेवातीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवातीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: रेवायाḥ तीरम् (on the bank of Reva/Narmadā)

• मनोरमे: beautiful, delightful
• मनोरमे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘रेवातीरे’

• विचित्रकुसुमोपेतम्: adorned with various flowers
• विचित्रकुसुमोपेतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र + कुसुम + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उप-इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘विष्णुमन्दिरम्’; तत्पुरुष-समासः: विचित्रकुसुमैः उपेतम् (endowed with variegated flowers)

• कृतवान्: made, constructed
• कृतवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्तवतुँ (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवतुँ-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृत् (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः; finite sense: ‘made/did’

• विष्णुमन्दिरम्: a temple of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुमन्दिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: विष्णोः मन्दिरम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse, traditionally Sūta relating the account)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Reva (Narmada)

FAQs

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

It highlights temple-building for Lord Viṣṇu at a sacred riverbank (Revā/Narmadā) as a concrete act of dharma that generates puṇya and strengthens devotion through sacred space and worship.

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

Bhakti is expressed through seva—constructing a Viṣṇu-mandira and adorning it with flowers—showing devotion as loving service and beautification offered to the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implies ritual praxis rather than a specific Vedāṅga: selecting a tīrtha location and performing temple worship with floral offerings aligns with kalpa (ritual procedure) and āgamic/vaidika worship conventions.