Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणे पूर्वभागे प्रथमपादे गङ्गोत्पत्तौ बलिकृतदेवपराजयवर्णनन्नाम दशमोऽध्यायः ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇe pūrvabhāge prathamapāde gaṅgotpattau balikṛtadevaparājayavarṇanannāma daśamo'dhyāyaḥ || 10 ||

Translation

ดังนี้ จบลงเป็นอันสิ้นสุด “บทที่สิบ” อันมีนามว่า “กำเนิดแห่งคงคา และพรรณนาความปราชัยของเหล่าเทวะอันเกิดจากการกระทำของพาลี” ในปาทะที่หนึ่ง แห่งปูรวภาค ของศรีพฤหันนารทียปุราณะ

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (समाप्तिसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative/end marker)

• श्री-बृहन्-नारदीय-पुराणे: in the Śrī Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa
• श्री-बृहन्-नारदीय-पुराणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + बृहन् (प्रातिपदिक) + नारदीय (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (title): “in the Śrī Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa”

• पूर्व-भागे: in the first part
• पूर्व-भागे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; “in the former part/section”

• प्रथम-पादे: in the first pāda
• प्रथम-पादे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; “in the first pāda/quarter/section”

• गङ्गा-उत्पत्तौ: in (the section on) the origin of Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-उत्पत्तौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: गङ्गायाः उत्पत्तिः; “in (the topic of) the origin of Gaṅgā”

• बलि-कृत-देव-पराजय-वर्णनम्: the description of the gods’ defeat by Bali
• बलि-कृत-देव-पराजय-वर्णनम्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + पराजय (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः: बलिना कृतः देवपराजयः तस्य वर्णनम् = “description of the defeat of the gods caused by Bali”

• नाम: named
• नाम: Name-marker (संज्ञासूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामार्थक/संज्ञासूचक (particle meaning ‘named/called’)

• दशमः: tenth
• दशमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (ordinal adjective) अध्यायः इति विशेष्यस्य

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narratorial colophon / chapter-end marker)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Bali
• Devas

FAQs

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

This is a colophon that seals the chapter’s theme—Gaṅgā’s manifestation and the devas’ setback due to Bali—signposting the Purāṇic method of framing sacred history (itihāsa) to guide faith in tīrtha and dharma.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting Gaṅgā and divine governance in cosmic events, it prepares the listener for bhakti expressed through reverence to sacred manifestations (like Gaṅgā) and trust in the Lord’s ordering of dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects textual organization and recitation tradition (anukrama/colophon practice), useful for pāṭha (systematic study) and accurate referencing, though it does not teach a specific Vedāṅga technique like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.