Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 168

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

तुहिनाद्रौ ततो गत्वा नरनारायणाश्रमात् । पश्चिमे तुहिनाक्रान्ते श्रृङ्गेषोडशयोजने ॥ १६८ ॥

Transliteration

tuhinādrau tato gatvā naranārāyaṇāśramāt | paścime tuhinākrānte śrṛṅgeṣoḍaśayojane || 168 ||

Translation

แล้วจากอาศรมของนร-นารายณะ เขาไปยังภูผาหิมะ และถึงยอดเขาทางทิศตะวันตกที่ถูกหิมะปกคลุม อยู่ห่างออกไปสิบหกโยชนะ

Word by Word

• तुहिन-अद्रौ: on the snowy mountain
• तुहिन-अद्रौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुहिन (प्रातिपदिक) + अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: तुहिनस्य अद्रिः) — Locative singular masculine

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘then/from there’

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वकर्म/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having gone’

• नर-नारायण-आश्रमात्: from the hermitage of Nara-Nārāyaṇa
• नर-नारायण-आश्रमात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नरनारायणयोः आश्रमः) — Ablative singular masculine

• पश्चिमे: in the western
• पश्चिमे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् — Locative singular masculine (agreeing with ‘शृङ्गे’)

• तुहिन-आक्रान्ते: covered/overrun by snow
• तुहिन-आक्रान्ते: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुहिन (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्रान्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुष-समास (तुहिनेन आक्रान्तः) — Locative singular masculine

• शृङ्गे: on the peak
• शृङ्गे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular neuter

• षोडश-योजने: at (a place) sixteen yojanas (away/extent)
• षोडश-योजने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षोडश योजने यस्मिन्) — Locative singular neuter (measure/extent)

Speaker

Narada (narrating a route/location description within the Purāṇic discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Nara
• Narayana
• Himalaya (Tuhinadri)

FAQs

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

It situates the listener within a sacred Himalayan landscape connected to Nara–Nārāyaṇa, emphasizing that pilgrimage geography itself is a dharmic map guiding seekers toward sanctified āśramas and peaks.

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

By directing attention to Nara–Nārāyaṇa’s āśrama and its surrounding sacred terrain, the verse supports bhakti through remembrance and visitation of Viṣṇu-associated holy regions, where devotion is traditionally intensified.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses traditional measurement (yojana), reflecting practical knowledge of calculation/measurement used in Purāṇic itineraries—useful for organizing yātrā (pilgrimage) routes and distances.