Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

वेदव्यासमुनिः साक्षान्नारायण इति द्विजाः । शुश्रुमः सर्वशास्त्रेषु सूतस्तु व्यासशासितः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

vedavyāsamuniḥ sākṣānnārāyaṇa iti dvijāḥ | śuśrumaḥ sarvaśāstreṣu sūtastu vyāsaśāsitaḥ || 18 ||

Translation

诸位再生的婆罗门圣者啊，我们在一切经典中听闻：牟尼吠陀毗耶娑实为那罗延亲自示现；而苏多则是受毗耶娑教诲并委任之人。

Word by Word

• वेदव्यासमुनिः: the sage Vedavyāsa
• वेदव्यासमुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदव्यास + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वेदव्यासः एव मुनिः)

• साक्षात्: directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = directly/manifestly

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण; predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhyāḥ/Addressed group (सम्बोधनार्थ/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शुश्रुमः: we have heard
• शुश्रुमः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सर्वशास्त्रेषु: in all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि)

• सूतः: the Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (contrastive particle)

• व्यासशासितः: instructed by Vyāsa
• व्यासशासितः: Visheshana (विशेषण; of सूतः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यास + शासित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) from √शास् with उपसर्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासेन शासितः = instructed by Vyāsa)

Speaker

Sūta

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vedavyasa
• Narayana (Vishnu)
• Suta
• Dvijas (Brahmin sages)

FAQs

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

It establishes scriptural authority (śāstra-pramāṇa) by affirming Vyāsa as a divine embodiment of Nārāyaṇa and by grounding the narration in an authentic lineage (paramparā) through Sūta’s commissioning by Vyāsa.

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

By identifying Vyāsa with Nārāyaṇa, the verse frames Purāṇic hearing (śravaṇa) as devotionally potent—listening to Vyāsa’s tradition is indirectly honoring and approaching Viṣṇu Himself.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the principle of disciplined transmission and interpretation—knowledge is to be received from an authorized teacher (ācārya/paramparā), a prerequisite for correctly applying śāstric methods (including Vyākaraṇa and other Vedāṅgas) to sacred texts.