Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

युगे युगेऽल्पकान्धर्मान्निरीक्ष्य मधुसूदनः । वेदव्यास स्वरूपेण वेदभागं करोति वै ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

yuge yuge'lpakāndharmānnirīkṣya madhusūdanaḥ | vedavyāsa svarūpeṇa vedabhāgaṃ karoti vai || 17 ||

Translation

ہر یُگ میں جب دھرم کمزور ہوتا ہے تو مدھوسودن (بھگوان وِشنو) ویدویاس کا روپ دھار کر وید کو حصّوں میں تقسیم کرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• युगे: in an age
• युगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• युगे: in (each) age
• युगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)

• अल्पकान्: small/declining
• अल्पकान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (धर्मान्)

• धर्मान्: duties/dharma
• धर्मान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मधोः सूदनः)

• वेदव्यास: Vedavyāsa
• वेदव्यास: Upapada in phrase (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (stem used in compound); तत्पुरुषः (वेदानां व्यासः)

• स्वरूपेण: in (his) own form
• स्वरूपेण: Karana (करण/Instrument; in the form of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वं रूपम्)

• वेदभागम्: division/portion of the Veda
• वेदभागम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य भागः)

• करोति: makes/arranges
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana’s teaching lineage; verse states the action of Vishnu as Vedavyasa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Madhusudana
• Vishnu
• Vedavyasa
• Veda

FAQs

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

It teaches that scriptural revelation is compassionately “re-presented” for each yuga: when dharma weakens, Viṣṇu safeguards the path by reorganizing Vedic knowledge through Vedavyāsa so people can still practice rightly.

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

By identifying Vedavyāsa’s work as Viṣṇu’s own action, the verse frames the Veda and its accessible arrangement as divine grace—supporting bhakti grounded in śāstra (scriptural authority) rather than mere opinion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical point is the transmission-method: the Veda is systematized and divided for learnability and preservation—an enabling foundation for Vedāṅga disciplines like śikṣā (phonetics), vyākaraṇa (grammar), and kalpa (ritual procedure).