Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

भग्द्वाज उवाच । गगनस्य दिशां चैव भूतलस्यानिलस्य च । कान्यत्र परिमाणानि संशयं छिंधि तत्त्वतः ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

bhagdvāja uvāca | gaganasya diśāṃ caiva bhūtalasyānilasya ca | kānyatra parimāṇāni saṃśayaṃ chiṃdhi tattvataḥ || 24 ||

Translation

Bhagadvāja sprach: „Vom Himmel, von den Himmelsrichtungen, von der Erde und vom Wind—welches ist jeweils ihr Maß? Bitte zerschneide meinen Zweifel, indem du die Wahrheit so erklärst, wie sie wirklich ist.“

Word by Word

• भग्द्वाजः: Bhagdvāja
• भग्द्वाजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग्द्वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता/ऋषिनाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गगनस्य: of the sky
• गगनस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘directions’

• च: and
• च: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• भूतलस्य: of the earth-surface
• भूतलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अनिलस्य: of the wind
• अनिलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• कानि: what (things)
• कानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—देशवाचक (adverb)

• परिमाणानि: measures; dimensions
• परिमाणानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• छिन्धि: cut off; remove
• छिन्धि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्त्वतः: truly; in accordance with reality
• तत्त्वतः: None (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय; तत्त्व-प्रभव)
• Form: अव्यय—तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in truth/according to reality’

Speaker

Bhagadvāja (questioner)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Bhagadvāja

FAQs

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

The verse models the dharmic method of inquiry: a seeker asks for precise knowledge (parimāṇa) and requests doubt to be removed “tattvataḥ,” emphasizing truth-oriented understanding as a support for mokṣa-oriented teaching.

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

Indirectly: it shows humility and earnest questioning, which in Purāṇic pedagogy complements bhakti—devotion grows when confusion is cleared and the cosmos is understood as an ordered reality ultimately grounded in the Supreme.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to technical, measurable knowledge—parimāṇa and cosmographic description—often associated with traditional śāstric disciplines used in calendrics/astronomy (Jyotiṣa) and systematic exposition (śāstra-style reasoning).