Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

एवमंतं भगवतः प्रमाणं सलिलस्य च । अग्निमारुततोयेभ्यो दुर्ज्ञेयं दैवतैरपि ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

evamaṃtaṃ bhagavataḥ pramāṇaṃ salilasya ca | agnimārutatoyebhyo durjñeyaṃ daivatairapi || 31 ||

Translation

وهكذا فإن المقياس والحدّ الحقّان للبهاغافان—وكذلك لمياه الكون—لا يُدرَكان على التمام، حتى عند الآلهة، وإن كانوا مرتبطين بالنار والريح والماء.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus)

• अन्तम्: end/limit
• अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• प्रमाणम्: measure, extent
• प्रमाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सलिलस्य: of water
• सलिलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• अग्नि-मारुत-तोयेभ्यः: from fire, wind, and water
• अग्नि-मारुत-तोयेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + मारुत (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (अग्निश्च मारुतश्च तोयं च); पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन (समाहार/इतरेतर-भाव; here ablative plural)

• दुर्ज्ञेयम्: hard to know
• दुर्ज्ञेयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ज्ञेय (कृदन्त, √ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be known'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• दैवतैः: by the deities
• दैवतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan
• Agni
• Vayu (Marut)
• Devas

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Bhagavan and the cosmic principle symbolized by the primordial waters are beyond finite measurement; even divine powers cannot fully grasp the Supreme, pointing the seeker toward liberation through higher realization rather than mere cosmic or elemental authority.

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

By stating that even the devas cannot know the Lord’s full extent, the verse implicitly elevates surrender and devotion to Bhagavan over reliance on power or status; Bhakti approaches the immeasurable Lord through grace, not through limited elemental or celestial knowledge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the limitation of pramāṇa (means/measure of knowing), a key epistemic concern relevant to disciplined study (including Vyākaraṇa and other Vedāṅga-based learning), reminding that technical knowledge alone cannot exhaust the Supreme’s nature.