Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

श्रृणु विप्रात्र धर्मस्य गतिं सूक्ष्मां वदाम्यहम् । यदा समागतो भर्ता मम कन्यां समाहरन् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

śrṛṇu viprātra dharmasya gatiṃ sūkṣmāṃ vadāmyaham | yadā samāgato bhartā mama kanyāṃ samāharan || 50 ||

Translation

హే విప్రా! వినుము, ధర్మத்தின் సూక్ష్మ గమనాన్ని నేను చెప్పుచున్నాను. నా భర్త వచ్చి నా కుమార్తెను తీసుకొని వెళ్లినప్పుడు…

Word by Word

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• dharmasya: of dharma
• dharmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• gatim: course/way
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• sūkṣmām: subtle
• sūkṣmām: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies gatim

• vadāmi: I speak/tell
• vadāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb/conjunction (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• samāgataḥ: having come/arrived
• samāgataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√ā-gam (गम् धातु) → samāgata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past active participle (क्तवत्/क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with bhartā

• bhartā: husband/lord
• bhartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• kanyām: daughter/maiden
• kanyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• samāharan: he brought/collected
• samāharan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√ā-hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; (or present participial sense in context)

Speaker

Narrator in a didactic dialogue (attributed within the Narada Purana’s teaching frame; commonly Narada addressing a brahmin interlocutor in narrative passages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It signals that dharma is not always obvious on the surface; the text introduces a lived situation (a daughter being taken by her husband) to illustrate how subtle karmic and ethical principles unfold through ordinary social duties.

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

Indirectly: by stressing the subtlety of dharma, it prepares the listener to rely on śāstra-guided living and inner sincerity—foundations that, in the Narada Purana, mature into steady Vishnu-bhakti aligned with righteous conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Dharma is treated with sūkṣmatā (subtle discernment), reflecting the practical need for nirṇaya (decision-making) informed by smṛti/ācāra; while no single Vedanga is named, the verse fits the broader śāstric method of interpreting duty through context and precise meaning (vyākaraṇa-driven clarity of terms like bhartā, kanyā, gati).