Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा देवेदेवशो ह्यदितिं देवमातरम् । दत्त्वा कण्ठगतां मालामभयं च तिरोदधे ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

ityuktvā devedevaśo hyaditiṃ devamātaram | dattvā kaṇṭhagatāṃ mālāmabhayaṃ ca tirodadhe || 66 ||

Translation

言毕，诸天之主对阿底提——诸天之母——如是开示；继而将曾佩于自身颈上的花鬘授与她，并赐予无畏之恩，随即隐没不见。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/quotative), अव्यय

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• देव-ईशः: the lord of the gods
• देव-ईशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् ईशः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle), अव्यय

• अदितिम्: Aditi
• अदितिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देव-मातरम्: the mother of the gods
• देव-मातरम्: Karma (कर्म/Apposition to object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् माता)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल

• कण्ठ-गताम्: gone to/placed on the neck
• कण्ठ-गताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (गम्-धातु, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (कण्ठे गता)

• मालाम्: garland
• मालाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of giving)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभयम्: fearlessness; assurance of safety
• अभयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of giving)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तिरोदधे: disappeared; withdrew from sight
• तिरोदधे: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तिरो-धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta (narrator) describing the Lord’s act

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Deva-devesha (Supreme Lord/Vishnu)
• Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights the Lord’s grace as both a tangible blessing (the garland) and an inner boon (abhaya—fearlessness), showing that divine refuge removes anxiety and establishes trust in dharma and protection.

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

The Lord personally blesses His devotee (Aditi) with assurance and a sacred token, illustrating bhakti as a living relationship where surrender is met with protection and divine presence—even when He later becomes unseen.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana or Jyotisha) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ritual-symbolic: receiving or offering a garland signifies reverence and divine favor within Puranic worship contexts.