Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

सहस्रपरमां देवीं शतमध्यां दशावराम् । त्रिपदां प्रणवोपेतां भूर्भुवः स्वरुपक्रमाम् ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

sahasraparamāṃ devīṃ śatamadhyāṃ daśāvarām | tripadāṃ praṇavopetāṃ bhūrbhuvaḥ svarupakramām || 59 ||

Translation

أتأمّل تلك الإلهة الإلهيّة: عُليا بوصفها «الألف»، ووسطها «المئة»، وسُفلاها «العشرة»؛ ذاتَ ثلاثِ خُطى، مقرونةً بالبرنَفَة (أوم)، سائرةً على ترتيب بُهوḥ وبُهوڤَḥ وسْوَḥ، عوالمِ الثلاثة.

Word by Word

• sahasraparamām: having a thousand as the maximum (count)
• sahasraparamām: Visheshana (Qualifier to Devīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasraparamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• devīm: the Goddess (Gayatri)
• devīm: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śatamadhyām: having a hundred as the middle (count)
• śatamadhyām: Visheshana (Qualifier to Devīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatamadhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• daśāvarām: having ten as the lowest/minimum (count)
• daśāvarām: Visheshana (Qualifier to Devīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśāvarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• tripadām: three-footed/having three parts
• tripadām: Visheshana (Qualifier to Devīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tripadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• praṇavopetām: accompanied by Om (Pranava)
• praṇavopetām: Visheshana (Qualifier to Devīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇavopetā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular. (praṇava + upetā)

• bhūrbhuvaḥsvarupakramām: having the sequence of Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Svah
• bhūrbhuvaḥsvarupakramām: Visheshana (Qualifier to Devīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūrbhuvaḥsvarupakramā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular. Sequence of Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah

Speaker

Narada (as part of a mantra-style description/meditation within the teaching dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Pranava (Om)
• Bhuh
• Bhuvah
• Svah

FAQs

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

It encodes a meditative understanding of the Goddess as mantra itself—structured by sacred numbers (1000–100–10), grounded in Oṁ, and spanning the three worlds (Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ), indicating that divine power pervades the entire Vedic cosmos and is approached through ordered recitation and contemplation.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of upāsanā—devotional meditation on the Divine as present in the Pranava and the cosmic levels. By reverently contemplating her threefold presence and mantra-form, the devotee cultivates steadiness, purity, and God-centered awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to mantra-vidyā: disciplined use of Pranava (Oṁ), awareness of Vedic cosmological utterances (Bhūḥ–Bhuvaḥ–Svaḥ), and the structured, sequential nature of recitation—core to Śikṣā (phonetics) and Chandas (meter) in applied ritual and japa.