Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 43
योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)
शक्रः समस्तदेवेभ्यस्ततश्चातिप्रजापतिः । हिरण्यगर्भोऽपि ततः पुंसः शक्त्युपलक्षितः ॥ ४३ ॥
śakraḥ samastadevebhyastataścātiprajāpatiḥ | hiraṇyagarbho'pi tataḥ puṃsaḥ śaktyupalakṣitaḥ || 43 ||
Among all the gods He is called Śakra (Indra); beyond them He is (also) Prajāpati. Beyond that again, He is known as Hiraṇyagarbha—thus that Supreme Person is distinguished by His powers and functions.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that divine names like Śakra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha can indicate the one Supreme Person when viewed through specific powers and cosmic functions, pointing seekers beyond office-bearing deities to the ultimate Reality.
By showing that even the highest divine roles are expressions of the Supreme Person’s śakti, it directs devotion away from limited identifications toward wholehearted bhakti for the one Lord who stands behind all divine powers.
The verse reflects Nirukta-style interpretive method: understanding names (like Śakra, Prajāpati, Hiraṇyagarbha) via their function/mark (upalakṣaṇa), a practical tool for correctly reading Vedic and Purāṇic deity-epithets.