Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Manvantaras and Indras; Sudharmā’s Liberation through Viṣṇu-Pradakṣiṇā; Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो देवराजेन सुधर्मा प्रहसंस्तदा । प्रोवाच विनयाविष्टः पूर्ववृत्तं यथाविधि ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

ityukto devarājena sudharmā prahasaṃstadā | provāca vinayāviṣṭaḥ pūrvavṛttaṃ yathāvidhi || 16 ||

Translation

Được vua của chư thiên hỏi như vậy, Sudharmā bấy giờ mỉm cười và, tràn đầy khiêm cung, thuật lại những việc đã qua theo đúng thứ tự và phép tắc.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: having been addressed/said to
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle ‘having been said/addressed’

• deva-rājena: by the king of gods
• deva-rājena: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां राजा)

• sudharmā: Sudharmā
• sudharmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudharmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (proper name)

• prahāsan: smiling/laughing
• prahāsan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + has (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), वर्तमानकालिक कर्तरि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Present active participle

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• provāca: said/spoke
• provāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• vinaya-āviṣṭaḥ: filled with humility
• vinaya-āviṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya + āviṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘āviṣṭa’ (आ + विश्); तत्पुरुष-समास (विनयेन आविष्टः)

• pūrva-vṛttam: the earlier account/what happened before
• pūrva-vṛttam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (पूर्वं वृत्तम्)

• yathā-vidhi: according to rule/properly
• yathā-vidhi: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + vidhi (अव्यय + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Sudharmā’s reply)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Sudharmā

FAQs

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

It highlights vinaya (humility) as the proper inner disposition for conveying sacred history—truth is to be spoken calmly, respectfully, and in right order (yathāvidhi).

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

While not explicitly teaching bhakti practices, it models a key bhakti virtue—humble speech and respectful response to divine authority—supporting devotional character (sadācāra).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The phrase yathāvidhi points to adherence to vidhi—procedural correctness central to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and disciplined transmission of accounts in traditional learning.