Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Dhvajāropaṇa and Dhvajāgopaṇa: Procedure, Stotra, and Phala (Merit) of Raising Viṣṇu’s Flag

Devanagari script

पृथिव्यादीनि भूतानि तन्मात्राणींन्द्रियाणि च । सूक्ष्मासूक्ष्माणि येनासंस्तं वन्दे सर्वतोमुखम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

pṛthivyādīni bhūtāni tanmātrāṇīṃndriyāṇi ca | sūkṣmāsūkṣmāṇi yenāsaṃstaṃ vande sarvatomukham || 30 ||

Translation

I bow to that All-faced Lord by whom the beings beginning with earth, the subtle elements (tanmātras), and the sense-faculties were brought into manifestation—both the subtle and the gross.

Word by Word

• पृथिवी-आदीनि: earth and the rest (elements)
• पृथिवी-आदीनि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—पृथिवी-आदि (तत्पुरुषः: “earth etc.”)

• भूतानि: beings/elements
• भूतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; पृथिव्यादीनि इति विशेष्य-समन्वयः

• तन्मात्राणि: subtle elements (tanmātras)
• तन्मात्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तस्य (तत्) मात्राः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense faculties
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• सूक्ष्म-असूक्ष्माणि: subtle and gross
• सूक्ष्म-असूक्ष्माणि: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + असूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (इतरेतर): “subtle and non-subtle”; विशेषणम् (भूतानि/तन्मात्राणि/इन्द्रियाणि प्रति)

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; relative pronoun — “by whom/through whom”

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वन्दे: I worship/salute
• वन्दे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम

• सर्वतः-मुखम्: having faces everywhere / all-faced
• सर्वतः-मुखम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—सर्वतः (everywhere) + मुखः; विशेषणम् (तम् प्रति)

Speaker

Narada (praise/invocation within the dialogue framework with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Sarvatomukha (the All-faced Lord)
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme Lord as the ultimate cause behind both subtle principles (tanmātras, indriyas) and gross elements, directing the seeker to worship the source rather than the effects.

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

By ending in “taṁ vande,” the verse turns metaphysical analysis into devotion—knowledge of creation culminates in reverence to Vishnu as the all-pervading, many-formed Lord (sarvatomukha).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it supports tattva-vicāra used in Vedic instruction: clear categorization of subtle and gross principles aids disciplined study and correct contemplation, though no single Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is explicitly taught in this verse.