Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Description of the Index/Summary of the Garuḍa

Purāṇa

Devanagari script

भूर्लोकवर्णनं चैव सप्ताधोलोकवर्णनम् । पंचोर्द्ध्वलोककथनं ब्रह्मांडस्थितिकीर्तनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

bhūrlokavarṇanaṃ caiva saptādholokavarṇanam | paṃcorddhvalokakathanaṃ brahmāṃḍasthitikīrtanam || 31 ||

Translation

Es enthält die Beschreibung von Bhūrloka, den Bericht über die sieben Unterwelten, die Erzählung der fünf höheren Welten und die Darlegung, wie das Brahmāṇḍa, das kosmische Ei, gegründet und geordnet ist.

Word by Word

• भूः: the earth (Bhū)
• भूः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोक-वर्णनम्: description of the world
• लोक-वर्णनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): 'लोकस्य वर्णनम्'

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), (here qualifying 'अधोलोक')

• अधो-लोक-वर्णनम्: description of the lower worlds
• अधो-लोक-वर्णनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास: 'अधोलोकस्य वर्णनम्'

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), (here qualifying 'ऊर्ध्वलोक')

• ऊर्ध्व-लोक-कथनम्: account of the upper worlds
• ऊर्ध्व-लोक-कथनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'ऊर्ध्वलोकस्य कथनम्'

• ब्रह्माण्ड-स्थिति-कीर्तनम्: narration of the state/structure of the cosmos
• ब्रह्माण्ड-स्थिति-कीर्तनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'ब्रह्माण्डस्य स्थितेः कीर्तनम्'

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the contents of the Narada Purana in an anukramanika-style enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhūrloka
• Brahmāṇḍa

FAQs

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

It frames the universe as a graded, orderly cosmos—lower, middle, and higher realms—encouraging discernment (viveka) and detachment from merely earthly aims by placing human life (Bhūrloka) within a vast karmic and cosmic hierarchy.

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

Indirectly: by summarizing the cosmic structure, it prepares the listener to see all lokas as within Brahmāṇḍa and thus ultimately under the Supreme; this worldview supports Bhakti by shifting focus from loka-seeking to devotion aimed at transcendence beyond worldly tiers.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily purāṇic cosmology rather than a Vedāṅga lesson; practically, it connects to Jyotiṣa-oriented thinking (cosmic levels and order) as a conceptual background, not as a technical rule of astrology or ritual procedure.