Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

Ekādaśī Vrata-Vidhi and the Galava–Bhadrashīla Itihāsa

Dharmakīrti before Yama

Devanagari script

ततो यमभटैर्बद्धो महादंष्ट्राभयंकरैः । अनेकक्लेशसंपन्नमार्गेणाप्तो यमांतिकम् । दंष्ट्राकरालवदनमपश्यं समवर्तिनम् ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

tato yamabhaṭairbaddho mahādaṃṣṭrābhayaṃkaraiḥ | anekakleśasaṃpannamārgeṇāpto yamāṃtikam | daṃṣṭrākarālavadanamapaśyaṃ samavartinam || 66 ||

Translation

แล้วเหล่าทูตแห่งยมผู้น่ากลัวด้วยเขี้ยวใหญ่ได้มัดข้าพเจ้า และพาไปตามทางที่เต็มด้วยความทุกข์ทรมานนานาประการจนถึงสำนักของยม ที่นั่นข้าพเจ้าได้เห็นสมวรติน ผู้มีพักตร์ดุร้ายด้วยเขี้ยวอันน่าหวาดหวั่น

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• यमभटैः: by Yama’s guards
• यमभटैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + भट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘यमस्य भटैः’ (by Yama’s attendants)

• बद्धः: bound
• बद्धः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) → बद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त: ‘bound’

• महादंष्ट्राभयंकरैः: by (those) terrifying with huge fangs
• महादंष्ट्राभयंकरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + भयंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘महादंष्ट्राभिः भयंकरैः’ (terrifying with huge fangs)

• अनेकक्लेशसंपन्नमार्गेण: by a path filled with many sufferings
• अनेकक्लेशसंपन्नमार्गेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त, क्त; पद्/पन्) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘अनेकक्लेशैः संपन्नः मार्गः’ (a path full of many torments)

• आप्तः: reached
• आप्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-आप्/आप् (धातु) → आप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त: ‘reached/obtained’

• यमान्तिकम्: to Yama’s vicinity
• यमान्तिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘यमस्य अन्तिकम्’ (to Yama’s presence/near Yama)

• दंष्ट्राकरालवदनम्: (him) with a fanged, terrifying face
• दंष्ट्राकरालवदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + कराल (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘दंष्ट्राभिः करालं वदनं यस्य’ (having a face made frightful by fangs)

• अपश्यम्: I saw
• अपश्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समवर्तिनम्: Samavartin (Yama)
• समवर्तिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समवर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेष्य (often epithet of Yama: ‘the regulator/overseer’)

Speaker

Narrator (a jīva describing the post-death experience; within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamabhaṭa
• Samavartin

FAQs

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

It underscores karma-phala: after death, the unpurified soul may be seized by Yamabhaṭas and led through painful states to face Yama, highlighting the urgency of dharma, repentance, and devotion before death.

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

By portraying the terror of Yama’s realm, the verse implicitly motivates refuge in Bhagavān (especially Vishnu-bhakti taught throughout the Purva Bhaga) as the fear-dissolving path that purifies karma and steadies the mind at death.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline (dharma) and corrective practice (prāyaścitta/vrata) to avert painful post-death consequences described in Purāṇic dharma sections.