Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

कथं सृष्टानि भूतानि कथं वर्णविभक्तयः । शौचाशौचं कथं तेषां धर्माधर्मविधिः कथम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

kathaṃ sṛṣṭāni bhūtāni kathaṃ varṇavibhaktayaḥ | śaucāśaucaṃ kathaṃ teṣāṃ dharmādharmavidhiḥ katham || 3 ||

Translation

How were living beings created? How were the divisions of the varṇas apportioned? How are purity and impurity determined for them? And how are the rules that distinguish dharma from adharma established?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/प्रश्न-प्रकारः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• सृष्टानि: created
• सृष्टानि: Karma (कर्म/वस्तु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) → सृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/कृत-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘भूतानि’ इति विशेषण

• भूतानि: beings; elements
• भूतानि: Karma (कर्म/वस्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/प्रश्न-प्रकारः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• वर्ण-विभक्तयः: divisions of the varṇas
• वर्ण-विभक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + विभक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘वर्णानां विभक्तयः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शौच-अशौचम्: purity and impurity
• शौच-अशौचम्: Karma (कर्म/वस्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक) + अशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative): ‘शौचं च अशौचं च’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/collective sense)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/प्रश्न-प्रकारः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• धर्म-अधर्म-विधिः: the rule regarding dharma and adharma
• धर्म-अधर्म-विधिः: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद + तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मश्च अधर्मश्च’ (dvandva) + ‘विधिः’ (rule/ordinance) = ‘धर्माधर्मयोः विधिः’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/प्रश्न-प्रकारः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

This verse frames a moksha-dharma inquiry: liberation-oriented wisdom begins by understanding cosmic origin (sṛṣṭi), ethical law (dharma/adharma), and the disciplines of purity that refine conduct and consciousness.

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

Indirectly, it prepares the ground for bhakti by asking for the correct order of life and right conduct; devotion in the Purāṇic tradition is meant to be practiced with dharmic clarity and inner-outer purity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to dharma-vidhi and śauca rules—subjects typically grounded in Kalpa (ritual procedure and dharma-sūtra traditions) and supported by Vyākaraṇa for precise interpretation of injunctions.