Shloka 55

Description of the Origin of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmāṇḍa) and the Ocean as King of Tīrthas

Devanagari script

दिग्वातार्कप्रचेतोश्विब्रंह्मेंद्रोपेंद्रमित्रकाः । तैजसानींद्रियाण्याहुर्ज्ञानकर्ममयानि च ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

digvātārkapracetośvibraṃhmeṃdropeṃdramitrakāḥ | taijasānīṃdriyāṇyāhurjñānakarmamayāni ca || 55 ||

Translation

Die Gottheiten der Himmelsrichtungen (Dik), Vāta (Wind), Arka (Sonne), Varuṇa (Pracetas), die Aśvins, Brahmā, Indra, Upendra (Viṣṇu) und Mitra gelten als die Vorsteher der strahlenden (taijasa) Sinne—Sinne, die sowohl Werkzeuge der Erkenntnis als auch der Handlung sind.

Word by Word

• दिक्-वात-अर्क-प्रचेतः-अश्वि-ब्रह्म-इन्द्र-उपेन्द्र-मित्रकाः: (the deities) Dik, Vāta, Arka, Pracetas, Aśvins, Brahmā, Indra, Upendra, Mitraka
• दिक्-वात-अर्क-प्रचेतः-अश्वि-ब्रह्म-इन्द्र-उपेन्द्र-मित्रकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्/दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रचेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मित्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural; द्वन्द्व-समासः (enumerative copulative) listing deities

• तैजसानि: taijasa (rājasa-born)
• तैजसानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural; qualifying इन्द्रियाणि

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense-faculties
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural

• आहुः: they say/call
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; ‘to say’)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); Parasmaipada

• ज्ञान-कर्म-मयानि: consisting of knowledge and action
• ज्ञान-कर्म-मयानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural; तत्पुरुषः—ज्ञानं कर्म च मयम् (consisting of knowledge and action)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Narada (instructing, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Dik (Directions)
• Vayu
• Surya (Arka)
• Varuna (Pracetas)
• Ashvins
• Brahma
• Indra
• Upendra (Vishnu)
• Mitra

FAQs

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

It maps the human senses to their adhidaivata (presiding deities), teaching that perception and action are not isolated functions of the body but participate in a sacred cosmic order—so discipline of the senses becomes a form of dharmic alignment.

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

By showing that the senses are ‘taijasa’ and overseen by divine powers, the verse supports bhakti as sense-consecration: seeing, hearing, and acting can be redirected toward Upendra (Viṣṇu) and other divine principles rather than toward mere craving.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a Vedic-technical framework used in ritual and contemplation—linking indriyas with devatās (adhidaivata mapping), a common basis for mantra-nyāsa, yajña symbolism, and cosmological correspondences found alongside Vedāṅga-style explanatory traditions.