Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

Śuka’s Origin, Mastery of Śāstra, and Testing at Janaka’s Court

Devanagari script

तत्रैवोवास मेधावी व्रतचारी समाहितः । उत्पन्नमात्रं तं वेदाः सरहस्याः ससंग्रहाः ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

tatraivovāsa medhāvī vratacārī samāhitaḥ | utpannamātraṃ taṃ vedāḥ sarahasyāḥ sasaṃgrahāḥ || 37 ||

Translation

ณ ที่นั้นเอง เขาพำนักอยู่ด้วยปัญญา เป็นผู้เคร่งครัดในวรตะ และมีจิตตั้งมั่น; ครั้นบังเกิดขึ้นทันที พระเวทพร้อมทั้งความลับภายในและคัมภีร์สรุปทั้งหลายก็ปรากฏแก่เขา

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• उवास: dwelt/stayed
• उवास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect, लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपदम्; धातु: वस् (to dwell)

• मेधावी: intelligent
• मेधावी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् of implied subject (महामुनिः/सः)

• व्रतचारी: vow-observing
• व्रतचारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रतचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक: व्रत + चारिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः (व्रतं चरति इति)

• समाहितः: composed/collected
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: धा (to place) उपसर्ग: सम्+आ; अर्थ: ‘समाधिस्थ/collected’

• उत्पन्नमात्रम्: newly born
• उत्पन्नमात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्पन्न + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक; उत्पन्न = उत्-√पद्/√पन्?; मात्र = measure/only)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (उत्पन्नं मात्रम् = just born); विशेषणम् of ‘तम्’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स-रहस्याः: with their secrets
• स-रहस्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (सह रहस्यैः/रहस्यसहिताः)

• स-संग्रहाः: with their compendia/collections
• स-संग्रहाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (सह संग्रहैः/संग्रहसहिताः)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the dialogue/tradition in the Moksha-Dharma section; teaching lineage connected with Narada and the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vedas

FAQs

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

It links inner purity and steadiness (samādhāna) with spontaneous revelation of śruti: when one lives as a disciplined vratacārī, Vedic wisdom—including its deeper rahasya—naturally dawns.

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

While not naming a deity here, it presents the bhakti-supporting framework: vows, restraint, and a collected mind make the heart fit for higher revelation—conditions repeatedly emphasized in Narada Purana for sustained devotion and liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to comprehensive Vedic mastery—“saṃgraha” suggests organized summaries/handbooks of śruti—implying structured learning (as supported by Vedāṅgas like Vyākaraṇa for clarity and Kalpa for ritual discipline) grounded in vrata and concentration.