Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं नानाजीवसमाकुलम् । तेनैव दग्धा दैतेया ये प्रधर्षयितुं गताः ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

śatayojanavistīrṇaṃ nānājīvasamākulam | tenaiva dagdhā daiteyā ye pradharṣayituṃ gatāḥ || 51 ||

Translation

سو یوجن تک پھیلا ہوا اور طرح طرح کے جانداروں سے بھرا وہ جنگل؛ اسی آگ سے وہ دَیتیہ بھی جل گئے جو اسے روندنے اور حملہ کرنے نکلے تھے۔

Word by Word

• शत-योजन-विस्तीर्णम्: spanning a hundred yojanas
• शत-योजन-विस्तीर्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तीर्ण (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शतयोजनैः विस्तीर्णम् = “spread over a hundred yojanas” (here qualifying काननम् understood)

• नाना-जीव-समाकुलम्: teeming with many creatures
• नाना-जीव-समाकुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: नानाजीवैः समाकुलम् = “crowded with various creatures”

• तेन: by that (fire)
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• दग्धाः: were burned
• दग्धाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “burnt” (predicate)

• दैतेयाः: the Daityas
• दैतेयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• प्रधर्षयितुम्: to attack
• प्रधर्षयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + धर्ष् (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन: “to assault/violate/attack”

• गताः: having gone
• गताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “having gone”

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: raudra (anger)

Characters & Entities

• Daiteya
• Daitya

FAQs

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

It underscores a dharmic principle: aggression against a protected sacred domain (teeming with life) rebounds upon the aggressor; divine or intrinsic protective power preserves the order of beings.

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

While not a direct bhakti instruction, the narrative supports bhakti ethics: devotees align with divine order (rakṣaṇa of life and sacred spaces), whereas hostile intent (pradharṣaṇa) leads to self-destruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it uses traditional cosmological measurement (yojana), echoing Purāṇic-astronomical framing often connected with Jyotiṣa-style spatial imagination, though no explicit Vedāṅga procedure is taught in this verse.