Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

ततः प्रववृते युद्धं घोरं गीर्वाणदैत्ययो । कल्पांतमेघानिर्धोषं डिंडिंमध्वनिसंभ्रमम् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghoraṃ gīrvāṇadaityayo | kalpāṃtameghānirdhoṣaṃ ḍiṃḍiṃmadhvanisaṃbhramam || 13 ||

Translation

پھر دیوتاؤں اور دَیتیوں کے درمیان ہولناک جنگ چھڑ گئی—اس کی گرجنا قیامت خیز بادلوں کی گڑگڑاہٹ جیسی تھی، اور جنگی نقاروں کی آواز سے ہر طرف ہیجان برپا ہو گیا۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमबोधक (then/thereupon)

• pravavṛte: arose/began
• pravavṛte: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of yuddham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• gīrvāṇa-daityayoḥ: of the gods and the demons
• gīrvāṇa-daityayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of participants)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīrvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + daitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (of gods and demons)

• kalpa-anta-megha-nirdhoṣam: like the thunder/roar of clouds at the end of an aeon
• kalpa-anta-megha-nirdhoṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of yuddham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + megha (प्रातिपदिक) + nirdhoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (kalpānte meghānām nirdhoṣaḥ iva)

• ḍiṃḍiṃma-dhvani-saṃbhramam: with tumult of drum-sound
• ḍiṃḍiṃma-dhvani-saṃbhramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of yuddham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ḍiṃḍiṃma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvani (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ḍiṃḍiṃma-dhvaneḥ saṃbhramaḥ)

Speaker

Suta (narrator)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Devas (Gīrvāṇas)
• Daityas

FAQs

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

It portrays adharma-driven conflict as a cosmic-scale upheaval—an image that reminds the listener that worldly power-struggles are noisy, impermanent, and ultimately subordinate to the larger order (ṛta/dharma) governing the kalpas.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts the deafening turbulence of Deva–Asura rivalry with the stabilizing refuge sought in devotion; bhakti in the Narada Purana is presented as a means to transcend such fearsome, time-bound commotions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses Purāṇic cosmological time language (kalpa-anta), which aligns with Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning; the practical takeaway is awareness of cyclical cosmic periods used in Purāṇic chronology.