Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

जगतामुपकाराय तस्य कर्मनिमित्तजा । चेष्टा तस्याप्रमेयस्य व्यापिन्यविहितात्मिका ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

jagatāmupakārāya tasya karmanimittajā | ceṣṭā tasyāprameyasya vyāpinyavihitātmikā || 48 ||

Translation

Zum Wohle aller Welten entsteht das Wirken jenes unermesslichen Herrn im Zusammenhang mit dem Karma; und doch ist es, weil Er allgegenwärtig ist, von unbedingter Natur.

Word by Word

• जगताम्: of the worlds/beings
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उपकाराय: for the benefit
• उपकाराय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (4th/dative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that (Lord)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्म-निमित्त-जा: arising from the cause of action
• कर्म-निमित्त-जा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः निमित्तम्; तस्मात् जाता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; (चेष्टा) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• चेष्टा: activity/operation
• चेष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अप्रमेयस्य: of the immeasurable
• अप्रमेयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तस्य)

• व्यापिनी: all-pervading
• व्यापिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (चेष्टा)

• अविहित-आत्मिका: of unobstructed nature
• अविहित-आत्मिका: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविहित (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन्/आत्मिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अविहिता आत्मिका यस्या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (चेष्टा)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instructing Narada on Moksha Dharma and the Lord’s nature)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Lord’s engagement with the world is for universal welfare, while His true nature remains immeasurable and unconditioned—supporting liberation by shifting the seeker from seeing God as limited to recognizing His all-pervading reality.

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

Bhakti here rests on trusting that the Lord’s actions in creation are compassionate and purposeful (upakāra), while remembering that His essence is beyond limitation—devotion matures into reverence for both His nearness (vyāpinī) and transcendence (aprameya).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily conveys Vedantic theology rather than a specific Vedanga technique; practically, it frames karma and ritual action as occasions within which the all-pervading Lord operates, encouraging disciplined action without reducing the Divine to ritual constraints.