Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

ईश्वराख्यं तु तत्तत्त्वं प्रोक्तं सर्वार्थकर्तृकम् । यत्र क्रिया हि न्यग्भूता ज्ञानाख्योद्रेकमश्नुते ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

īśvarākhyaṃ tu tattattvaṃ proktaṃ sarvārthakartṛkam | yatra kriyā hi nyagbhūtā jñānākhyodrekamaśnute || 33 ||

Translation

Jenes Prinzip wird als „Īśvara-tattva“ gelehrt—als wirksame Ursache, die alle Ziele vollbringt—wo das Handeln, auch das rituelle (kriyā), nachgeordnet ist und die Vorherrschaft der Erkenntnis (jñāna) erlangt wird.

Word by Word

• īśvara-ākhyam: called Īśvara
• īśvara-ākhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'named/called Īśvara'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing contrast/emphasis

• tat-tattvam: that principle
• tat-tattvam: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'that very principle'

• proktam: is declared
• proktam: Kriyā (क्रिया) / Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-artha-kartṛkam: the agent of all ends
• sarva-artha-kartṛkam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + kartṛka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'having as doer/agent of all purposes/objects'

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय) 'where'

• kriyā: action (power of action)
• kriyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) giving emphasis/causal nuance

• nyag-bhūtā: become subordinate
• nyag-bhūtā: Kriyā (क्रिया) / Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni- (उपसर्ग) + √bhū (भू धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jñāna-ākhya-udrekam: a surge called knowledge
• jñāna-ākhya-udrekam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक) + udreka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'increase/surge called knowledge'

• aśnute: attains
• aśnute: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √aś (अश् धातु; 'to attain/obtain')
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara

FAQs

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

It defines Īśvara-tattva as the governing principle that fulfills all human aims, and marks the spiritual turning-point where liberating knowledge becomes primary and ritual action becomes secondary.

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

By centering reality on Īśvara, it supports devotion as God-oriented practice; yet it also implies that mature devotion culminates in God-knowledge (jñāna) where external acts serve as supports rather than the main means.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects the Vedantic use of śāstra-vicāra (scriptural discernment) to rank means: karma (ritual procedures supported by Kalpa and related Vedāṅgas) is valid but ultimately subordinate to jñāna for realizing Īśvara-tattva.