Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

शक्तं यां वृत्तिभेदात्तुविहिताः खलु कल्पनाः । चिज्जडानुग्रहार्थाय कृत्वा रूपाणि वै प्रभुः ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

śaktaṃ yāṃ vṛttibhedāttuvihitāḥ khalu kalpanāḥ | cijjaḍānugrahārthāya kṛtvā rūpāṇi vai prabhuḥ || 38 ||

Translation

Wegen der Verschiedenheit der Wirkweisen (vṛtti-bheda) werden in der Tat begriffliche Setzungen (kalpanāḥ) hinsichtlich eben dieser Śakti angenommen. Der Herr (Prabhu) nimmt Gestalten an, um sowohl dem Bewussten (caitanya) als auch dem Trägen (jaḍa) Gnade zu erweisen.

Word by Word

• शक्तम्: endowed with power, capable
• शक्तम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘याम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (as ‘endowed/able’)

• याम्: which (that)
• याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• वृत्ति-भेदात्: from/due to difference of functions/modes
• वृत्ति-भेदात्: Apadana (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): वृत्तेः भेदः; तस्मात् (ablative)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अवधानसूचक

• विहिताः: arranged, posited
• विहिताः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) / विहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; ‘कल्पनाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• कल्पनाः: conceptual constructs
• कल्पनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• चित्-जड-अनुग्रह-अर्थाय: for the purpose of grace to the sentient and the inert
• चित्-जड-अनुग्रह-अर्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + जड (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन): चित्-जडयोः अनुग्रहस्य अर्थः (for the purpose of favoring sentient and insentient)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• रूपाणि: forms
• रूपाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prabhu (Ishvara)

FAQs

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

It explains that many doctrinal descriptions of Śakti arise from differing functional standpoints (vṛttis), while the Lord’s taking of forms is fundamentally an act of grace meant to guide both conscious beings and those bound to inert materiality.

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

By stating that the Lord assumes forms for anugraha, it supports bhakti: devotees can approach the transcendent through accessible divine manifestations, trusting that form is a compassionate means for upliftment rather than a limitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to a Vyākaraṇa/Nyāya-style precision in meaning: distinctions are traced to vṛtti-bheda (modes of operation/usage), showing how interpretive frameworks generate different formulations (kalpanā) without denying the single underlying principle.