Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । आख्यातं भवता सर्वं मुने तत्त्वार्थ कोविद । इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि युगानां स्थितिलक्षणम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | ākhyātaṃ bhavatā sarvaṃ mune tattvārtha kovida | idānīṃ śrotumicchāmi yugānāṃ sthitilakṣaṇam || 1 ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: „O Weiser, Kenner des wahren Sinnes der Wirklichkeit, du hast alles dargelegt. Nun wünsche ich die bestimmenden Kennzeichen und den festgesetzten Verlauf (Dauer und Zustand) der Yugas zu hören.“

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आख्यातम्: has been explained
• आख्यातम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; stated matter)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘told/declared’

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ ‘by you’

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; entirety)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्त्वार्थ: the meaning of truth/reality
• तत्त्वार्थ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘तत्त्वस्य अर्थः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासान्त-रूप)

• कोविद: O knower, O expert
• कोविद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive; ‘to hear’

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• युगानाम्: of the yugas
• युगानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्थिति-लक्षणम्: the characteristics of (their) duration/continuance
• स्थिति-लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘स्थितेः लक्षणम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Muni

FAQs

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

It frames a dharmic inquiry: after receiving core teachings, Nārada seeks precise knowledge of how time (Yuga cycles) shapes the condition of Dharma—preparing the listener for disciplined understanding of cosmic order.

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

Indirectly, it sets the context for Bhakti by asking about Yuga conditions—since Purāṇic teaching commonly explains that practices and emphases (including Vishnu-bhakti) vary according to the Yuga’s spiritual climate.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points toward time-knowledge (kāla-vicāra) used in Purāṇic cosmology; this connects most closely with Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy) for understanding ages, cycles, and their measures.