Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 67

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

गुणतस्त्रिविधा सापि प्रोक्ता कर्मानुसारतः । महत्तत्तवादहंकारो जातः संरंभवृत्तिमान् ॥ ६७ ॥

Transliteration

guṇatastrividhā sāpi proktā karmānusārataḥ | mahattattavādahaṃkāro jātaḥ saṃraṃbhavṛttimān || 67 ||

Translation

وتلك الطبيعة (prakṛti) تُقالُ هي أيضًا ثلاثيةً بحسب الغونات، وتُوصَفُ بأنها تعمل وفقَ الكارما. ومن مبدأِ المَهَت (Mahat، العقل الكوني) يولدُ الأهمكارا (ahaṃkāra)، أي إحساسُ «أنا»، مزوّدًا بدافعِ النشاطِ المُؤكِّد للذات.

Word by Word

• गुणतः: according to the guṇas
• गुणतः: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुणतः (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/हेतु-अर्थे (according to)

• त्रिविधा: threefold
• त्रिविधा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण; द्विगु-समास (numerical compound)

• सा: she/that (dhī)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• प्रोक्ता: is said/declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• कर्म: of actions
• कर्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-भावः)

• अनुसारतः: in accordance with
• अनुसारतः: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुसारतः (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; 'अनुसार' + तस् (according to/in conformity with)

• महत्: great (mahat)
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (समासपूर्वपद-भावः)

• तत्त्वात्: from the principle (tattva)
• तत्त्वात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अहंकारः: ego-principle (ahaṃkāra)
• अहंकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जातः: arose/was born
• जातः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• संरंभ: of exertion/impulse
• संरंभ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संरंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-भावः)

• वृत्तिमान्: possessing the activity of exertion
• वृत्तिमान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्ति + मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessing); समासार्थः: संरंभ-वृत्ति-मान् (having the function of exertion)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahat-tattva
• Ahaṃkāra
• Guṇas
• Karma

FAQs

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

It explains how individuality (ahaṃkāra) arises from cosmic intelligence (Mahat) under the conditioning of guṇas and karma—showing the metaphysical root of bondage and the need to transcend ego for liberation.

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

By identifying ahaṃkāra as the self-assertive impulse born from prakṛtic evolution, the verse implies that bhakti refines and dissolves egoic agency, redirecting action from ‘I do’ to surrender and service to the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It supports a technical, analytical framework (tattva-vicāra akin to Sāṅkhya reasoning) used in śāstric study—helpful for precise interpretation in disciplines like Vyākaraṇa and Mīmāṃsā where causality, agency, and karma are carefully defined.