Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Gaṅgā-māhātmya: Bāhu’s Envy, Defeat, Forest Exile, and Aurva’s Dharmic Consolation

Devanagari script

गते बहुतिथे काले और्वाश्रमसमीपतः । स बाहुर्व्याधिना ग्रस्तो ममार मुनिसत्तम ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

gate bahutithe kāle aurvāśramasamīpataḥ | sa bāhurvyādhinā grasto mamāra munisattama || 44 ||

Translation

బహు కాలము గడిచిన తరువాత, ఔర్వ ముని ఆశ్రమ సమీపమున వ్యాధితో బాధపడిన రాజు బాహు మరణించెను, ఓ మునిశ్రేష్ఠా।

Word by Word

• गते: when (it) had passed
• गते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) — ‘when (it) had gone/elapsed’ (absolute locative sense with kāle)

• बहुतिथे: after many days
• बहुतिथे: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बहूनां तिथीनाम्), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) — qualifying kāle

• काले: in time; at a time
• काले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• और्वाश्रमसमीपतः: from near Aurva’s hermitage
• और्वाश्रमसमीपतः: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source-point)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: और्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-समासाधारित अव्यय: ‘और्व-आश्रमस्य समीपतः’; तः-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• बाहुः: Bāhu (name)
• बाहुः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; apposition to saḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• व्याधिना: by disease
• व्याधिना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ग्रस्तः: afflicted
• ग्रस्तः: विशेषण (Adjectival predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु) → ग्रस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन) — agreeing with bāhuḥ

• ममार: died
• ममार: क्रिया (Verb; action of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘मुनिषु सत्तमः’; Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic storyteller, in the Narada Purana dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Aurva
• Bāhu

FAQs

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

It underscores anityatā (impermanence): even royal power ends, and embodied life is overcome by time and disease—prompting detachment and dharma-oriented living.

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

Indirectly, by emphasizing mortality; the narrative context encourages turning from transient supports (status, body) toward lasting refuge—typically expressed in the Purāṇic frame as devotion to Bhagavān.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No explicit Vedāṅga is taught in this verse; it functions as narrative instruction (purāṇic itihāsa) conveying ethical-spiritual insight rather than grammar, jyotiṣa, or ritual procedure.