Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

The Narration of the Brāhma Purāṇa’s Account

Brāhma Purāṇānukramaṇikā

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य भक्त्या पप्रच्छ इदमेव मुनिश्वर । पुराणाख्यानममलं यत्त्वं पृच्छसि मानद ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

praṇamya bhaktyā papraccha idameva muniśvara | purāṇākhyānamamalaṃ yattvaṃ pṛcchasi mānada || 18 ||

Translation

ครั้นนอบน้อมด้วยศรัทธาแล้ว เขาทูลถามว่า “ข้าแต่มุนีผู้เป็นใหญ่ เรื่องนี้เอง ข้าแต่มานทะ ผู้ให้เกียรติผู้อื่น เรื่องเล่าแห่งปุราณะอันบริสุทธิ์ที่ท่านไต่ถาม ก็คือเรื่องนี้”

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having bowed’; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle: indeed/only)

• मुनि-ईश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनि-ईश्वर: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘मुनीनां ईश्वरः’

• पुराण-आख्यानम्: the Purāṇa narrative
• पुराण-आख्यानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पुराणस्य आख्यानम्’

• अमलम्: pure / spotless
• अमलम्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पुराणाख्यानम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• यत्: which
• यत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (common pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृच्छसि: ask
• पृच्छसि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मानद: O giver of honor
• मानद: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘मानं ददाति’ इति (honour-giver)

Speaker

Suta (narrator, reporting the dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It establishes the proper adhikāra (spiritual posture) for Purāṇic study: humility (praṇāma) and devotion (bhakti) before receiving a “pure” (amala) sacred narration.

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

Bhakti is shown as the gateway to śravaṇa (hearing sacred lore): the seeker bows with devotion and then asks, indicating that reverent inquiry is itself a devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the discipline of respectful questioning and structured transmission (samvāda) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it frames Purāṇic learning as an ordered teacher–student inquiry.