Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

गरेण सहितं पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा तेजोनिधिर्मुनिः । जातकर्म चकारासौ तन्नाम सगरेति च ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

gareṇa sahitaṃ putraṃ dṛṣṭvā tejonidhirmuniḥ | jātakarma cakārāsau tannāma sagareti ca || 11 ||

Translation

زہر (گَر) کے ساتھ پیدا ہونے والے بیٹے کو دیکھ کر، نورِ روحانی کے خزانے مُنی نے اس کا جاتکرم ادا کیا اور اس کا نام ‘سَگَر’ رکھا۔

Word by Word

• गरेण: with poison
• गरेण: Sahartha/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/सह/करण), एकवचन; with ‘सहितम्’ = ‘with poison’

• सहितम्: accompanied (by)
• सहितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (उपसर्ग) + इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘पुत्रम्’

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; object of ‘दृष्ट्वा’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• तेजोनिधिः: the repository of radiance
• तेजोनिधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजोनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject; ‘treasury of splendor’; समास: तेजस् + निधि

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to ‘तेजोनिधिः’

• जातकर्म: the birth-rite (jātakarma)
• जातकर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; object of ‘चकार’; rite of birth; समास: जात + कर्म

• चकार: performed/did
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun referring to the sage

• तत्: his/that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘नाम’

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma/Predicate (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘name’ (as predicate/object in naming)

• सगर: Sagara
• सगर: Nama (नाम/उद्धरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (as quoted name), एकवचन; in ‘इति’ quotation

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sagara

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma through samskāra: even when a birth is marked by adversity (gara), the proper Vedic rite (jātakarma) sanctifies the child’s entry into life and affirms auspicious order through naming.

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

Indirectly, it shows that sacred life begins with reverent observance of Vedic duties; such dharmic grounding supports later bhakti by cultivating purity, gratitude, and alignment with divine order.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through the jātakarma samskāra and naming practice—showing how prescribed rites are applied at birth within a dharmic household.