Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Hari-nāma Mahimā and Caraṇāmṛta: The Redemption of the Hunter Gulika

Uttaṅka Itihāsa

Devanagari script

एतद्दृष्ट्वा विस्मितोऽसौ ह्युत्तंकस्तपसांनिधिः । शिरस्यंजलिमाधाय तुष्टाव कमलापतिम् ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

etaddṛṣṭvā vismito'sau hyuttaṃkastapasāṃnidhiḥ | śirasyaṃjalimādhāya tuṣṭāva kamalāpatim || 68 ||

Translation

یہ دیکھ کر ریاضتوں کا خزانہ اُتّنگک حیرت میں ڈوب گیا؛ اس نے سر پر جوڑے ہوئے ہاتھ رکھ کر کملاپتی وِشنو کی حمد و ثنا کی۔

Word by Word

• etat: this (thing)
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used substantively

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √dṛś, 'having seen'

• vismitaḥ: astonished
• vismitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• asau: he
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun 'he/that person'

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) of emphasis/causal sense

• uttaṅkaḥ: Uttaṅka
• uttaṅkaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttaṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper noun

• tapasām-nidhiḥ: a storehouse of austerities
• tapasām-nidhiḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'treasure/store of austerities' (tapasām = Genitive plural)

• śirasi: on (his) head
• śirasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• añjalim: folded hands (añjali)
• añjalim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ādhāya: having placed
• ādhāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-dhā (धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √dhā with prefix ā-, 'having placed/held'

• tuṣṭāva: praised
• tuṣṭāva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); with intensifying sense 'praised'

• kamalā-patim: the Lord of Lakṣmī
• kamalā-patim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamalā (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'lord of Kamalā (Lakṣmī)'

Speaker

Suta (narrator)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Uttaṅka
• Vishnu
• Lakshmi (Kamala)

FAQs

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

The verse shows the ideal response to a divine or extraordinary vision: humility (añjali on the head) and praise of Viṣṇu, indicating that even great tapas culminates in reverent devotion.

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

Bhakti is expressed here through embodied reverence (namaskāra with añjali) and verbal worship (stuti). Uttaṅka’s awe naturally becomes praise of Kamalāpati, portraying devotion as the heart’s immediate turning toward Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is ritual etiquette (ācāra) rather than a technical Vedāṅga: the prescribed gesture of añjali and respectful posture while offering stuti—core elements of Purāṇic worship practice.