Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Sṛṣṭi-varṇana, Bhārata-khaṇḍa-mahātmya, and Jagad-bhūgola

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

शेषशक्तिः परा विष्णोर्जगत्सर्गादिकारिणी । व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरुपेण जगह्याप्य व्यवस्थिता ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

śeṣaśaktiḥ parā viṣṇorjagatsargādikāriṇī | vyaktāvyaktasvarupeṇa jagahyāpya vyavasthitā || 16 ||

Translation

Jene höchste, verbleibende Kraft Viṣṇus—die Schöpfung und alle weiteren Vorgänge des Universums bewirkt—weilt überall in der Welt, in der Gestalt des Manifesten wie des Unmanifesten.

Word by Word

• शेषशक्तिः: the remaining/other power
• शेषशक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शेषस्य शक्तिः)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासाङ्ग); ‘जगत्सर्गादिकारिणी’ इत्यस्य अङ्गम्

• सर्ग: creation
• सर्ग: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासाङ्ग)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘आदि’ (etc./beginning with) समासे

• कारिणी: the doer/agent (who effects)
• कारिणी: Karta (कर्ता) — ‘शेषशक्तिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिनि-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: कारिणी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त (agent noun)

• व्यक्त: manifest
• व्यक्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-आधार, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासाङ्ग)

• अव्यक्त: unmanifest
• अव्यक्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासाङ्ग)

• स्वरूपेण: in the form/nature
• स्वरूपेण: Karana (करण) / Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/प्रकार (instrumental of manner)

• जगह्या: (textual form uncertain)
• जगह्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगह्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/even’

• व्यवस्थिता: is established/abides
• व्यवस्थिता: Kriya (क्रिया) — विधेय (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + वि + अव + उपसर्ग; क्त-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त: व्यवस्थित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) — ‘स्थित’ = established

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the creation/doctrine sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that Viṣṇu’s supreme śakti pervades all existence and operates both as the visible universe (vyakta) and as the subtle, unmanifest ground (avyakta), guiding seekers to see the divine as the inner cause behind all cosmic change.

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

By presenting Viṣṇu’s power as present in every level of reality—manifest and unmanifest—it supports bhakti as constant remembrance and worship of Viṣṇu as the all-pervading Lord, not limited to a single form or place.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily metaphysical rather than technical; its key takeaway aligns with Vedic hermeneutics (nirukta/semantic insight) by distinguishing vyakta and avyakta categories used in śāstric analysis to interpret cosmology and causation.