Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

सर्वभूतेषु भूपाल तारतम्येन लक्ष्यते । अप्राणवत्सु खल्वल्पा स्थावरेषु ततोऽधिका ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

sarvabhūteṣu bhūpāla tāratamyena lakṣyate | aprāṇavatsu khalvalpā sthāvareṣu tato'dhikā || 40 ||

Translation

O König, unter allen Wesen wird eine Abstufung nach Graden wahrgenommen. Im Unbelebten ist sie äußerst gering, und in den Unbeweglichen (Pflanzen und Feststehenden) ist sie größer als das.

Word by Word

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि भूतानि)

• भूपाल: O king
• भूपाल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• तारतम्येन: by gradation
• तारतम्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारतम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• लक्ष्यते: is perceived/seen
• लक्ष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• अप्राणवत्सु: among the non-living (without breath)
• अप्राणवत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्राणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• अल्पा: small/less
• अल्पा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• स्थावरेषु: among immovables (plants etc.)
• स्थावरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ततः: thereafter/than that
• ततः: Hetu/Comparison marker (हेतु/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अधिका: greater
• अधिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed to a king in the cited line)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that manifestation of prāṇa/awareness is not uniform: consciousness appears in degrees across categories of existence, supporting discernment (viveka) in mokṣa-dharma.

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

By highlighting graded awareness, it implies that human birth—where awareness is clearer—best supports deliberate Viṣṇu-bhakti and disciplined practice compared to lower, less expressive states.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga procedure is taught; the verse is primarily tattva-vicāra (philosophical discrimination) using the prāṇa-based classification of beings.