Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Gaṅgā-māhātmya: Bāhu’s Envy, Defeat, Forest Exile, and Aurva’s Dharmic Consolation

Devanagari script

यस्यानुकूलो लक्ष्मीशः सौभाग्यं तस्य वर्द्धते । सएव विमुखो यस्य सौभाग्यं तस्य हीयते ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

yasyānukūlo lakṣmīśaḥ saubhāgyaṃ tasya varddhate | saeva vimukho yasya saubhāgyaṃ tasya hīyate || 24 ||

Translation

若吉祥天女之主毗湿奴垂怜相助，此人福德与吉运日益增长；若那同一位主转而背离，此人福运便渐渐衰减。

Word by Word

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन) — relative pronoun

• anukūlaḥ: favorable
• anukūlaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anukūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — adjective agreeing with lakṣmīśaḥ

• lakṣmīśaḥ: Lord of Lakshmi (Vishnu)
• lakṣmīśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī-īśa (प्रातिपदिक; लक्ष्मी + ईश)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (लक्ष्म्याः ईशः)

• saubhāgyam: good fortune
• saubhāgyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saubhāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — subject of varddhate

• tasya: of him/of that person
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular — demonstrative pronoun

• varddhate: increases
• varddhate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — demonstrative pronoun

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) — emphasis

• vimukhaḥ: turned away/unfavorable
• vimukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — predicate adjective of saḥ

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular — relative pronoun

• saubhāgyam: good fortune
• saubhāgyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saubhāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular — subject of hīyate

• tasya: of him/of that person
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• hīyate: diminishes
• hīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Ātmanepada — passive/intransitive sense ‘diminishes’

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi

FAQs

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

It frames prosperity as a consequence of divine grace: when Viṣṇu’s anugraha is present, auspiciousness grows; when one becomes turned away from Him (or He becomes averse due to adharma), fortune wanes.

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

It implies that bhakti is the means to remain “anukūla” with Lakṣmīśa—devotion, right conduct, and remembrance align the devotee with Viṣṇu’s favor, which sustains both spiritual and worldly well-being.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-based conduct and devotional orientation as the ‘applied rule’ for securing divine favor and avoiding decline.