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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

श्रुतयो यं न जानन्ति न जानन्ति च सूरयः । तं नमामि जगद्धेतुं समायं चाप्यमायिनम् ॥ २३ ॥

śrutayo yaṃ na jānanti na jānanti ca sūrayaḥ | taṃ namāmi jagaddhetuṃ samāyaṃ cāpyamāyinam || 23 ||

Ich verneige mich vor Ihm, den selbst die Veden nicht völlig erkennen und den selbst die Weisen nicht ganz erfassen: der Ursache des Universums, allen gegenüber gleichmütig und frei von jeder trügerischen Māyā.

śrutayaḥthe Vedas/scriptures
śrutayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśruti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन
yamwhom
yam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘whom’
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)
jānantiknow
jānanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु: ज्ञा (to know)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात
jānantiknow
jānanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (धातु)
Formलट्, परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
sūrayaḥthe wise
sūrayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsūri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन
tamhim
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन
namāmiI bow to
namāmi:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnam (धातु)
Formलट्, परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन
jagat-hetumthe cause of the universe
jagat-hetum:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootjagat + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: जगतः हेतुः (cause of the world)
samāyamimpartial/equitable
samāyam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsamāya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) — ‘equal/just, impartial’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
apialso
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि-निपात (also/even)
amāyinamnon-deceptive, free of illusion
amāyinam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota- + māyin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध: अमायिन् (free from deceit/illusion)

Narada (in a stuti/praise-verse context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara teaching frame)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

V
Vedas (Śruti)
S
Sages (Sūrayaḥ)
S
Supreme Lord (Jagad-hetu)

FAQs

It declares the Supreme as ultimately beyond complete conceptual capture—even by Śruti and great seers—yet still worthy of direct surrender and worship as the universe’s cause and the perfectly pure (amāyin) reality.

By admitting the limits of intellectual and scriptural knowing, the verse turns the seeker toward bhakti—humble pranāma (namāmi) to the Lord—where reverence and surrender become the practical approach to the transcendent.

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught here; instead, it emphasizes a key hermeneutic principle for scriptural study: Śruti points toward the Supreme, but the Supreme exceeds language and conceptual definition.