Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Dhvaja-Dhāraṇa Mahātmyam: Sumati–Satyamatī, Humility, and Deliverance by Hari’s Messengers

Devanagari script

ऋषिरुवाच । गजन्यदुक्तं भवता तत्सर्वं त्वत्कुलोचितम् । विनयावनतः सर्वो बहुश्रेयो लभेदिह ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣiruvāca | gajanyaduktaṃ bhavatā tatsarvaṃ tvatkulocitam | vinayāvanataḥ sarvo bahuśreyo labhediha || 23 ||

Translation

رِشی نے فرمایا—اے گجنْیَ، تم نے جو کچھ کہا وہ سب تمہارے شریف خاندان کے شایانِ شان ہے۔ جو شخص انکساری سے جھکتا ہے وہ اسی زندگی میں بڑا روحانی فائدہ پاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• ऋषिः: the sage
• ऋषिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गज-न्य-उक्तम्: what was indeed said (by you)
• गज-न्य-उक्तम्: विषय/विधेय (topic/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + न्य (अव्यय/निपात; emphatic) + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from √वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उक्तम्’ (said) with particle ‘न्य’ (emphasis); here as object of implicit ‘अस्ति/भवति’ or as predicate to ‘तत् सर्वम्’

• भवता: by you
• भवता: कर्ता (agent in passive/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विषय (topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• त्वत्-कुल-उचितम्: befitting your lineage
• त्वत्-कुल-उचितम्: विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/Genitive: ‘of your family’ + ‘befitting’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विनय-अवनतः: humbled by modesty
• विनय-अवनतः: कर्तृविशेषण (adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनत (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from अव-√नम्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया/Instrumental sense: ‘by humility’ → ‘humble’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वः: everyone
• सर्वः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘everyone’ (substantive use)

• बहु-श्रेयः: great benefit
• बहु-श्रेयः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘much’ + ‘good/benefit’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: देशाधिकरण (locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

Speaker

Rishi (Ṛṣi)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gajanya

FAQs

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

It teaches that vinaya (humility) is itself a dharmic power: one who remains humble becomes eligible for śreyas—lasting spiritual welfare—here and now.

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

Bhakti is sustained by humility; bowing the ego makes a seeker receptive to instruction and grace, turning right speech and noble conduct into inner devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is sadācāra—disciplined, humble conduct—as the foundation for any śāstric study or ritual practice.