Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Exposition of the Index (Anukramaṇī) of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata

Devanagari script

भगवानेव विप्रेंद्र विश्वरूपीसमीरितः । तत्र तु प्रथमस्कंधे सूतर्षीणां समागमे ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

bhagavāneva vipreṃdra viśvarūpīsamīritaḥ | tatra tu prathamaskaṃdhe sūtarṣīṇāṃ samāgame || 3 ||

Translation

Ô le meilleur des brāhmaṇas, là, dans le Premier Skandha, lors de l’assemblée de Sūta et des sages, il ne fut parlé que du Bhagavān, loué comme Celui à la forme universelle.

Word by Word

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः)

• विश्व-रूपी: having the form of the universe
• विश्व-रूपी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of समीरितः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वं रूपं यस्य)

• समीरितः: was described/was narrated
• समीरितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-ईर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive/contrast particle)

• प्रथम-स्कन्धे: in the first canto
• प्रथम-स्कन्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (प्रथमः स्कन्धः)

• सूत-ऋषीणाम्: of the Sūta-sages
• सूत-ऋषीणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सूताश्च ते ऋषयः)

• समागमे: in the assembly/meeting
• समागमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrator within the Purāṇic frame, recounting what was taught in the First Skandha)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Vishnu/Narayana as the universal form)
• Suta
• Rishis (sages)

FAQs

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

It establishes the central subject of the First Skandha: Bhagavān as Viśvarūpa (the cosmic, all-encompassing Lord), indicating that the Purāṇa’s teaching is ultimately God-centered rather than merely historical.

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

By highlighting that the Lord alone is the main theme proclaimed in the sages’ assembly, it points to bhakti as attentive hearing (śravaṇa) in satsanga—where discourse culminates in remembrance and praise of Bhagavān.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; its practical takeaway is the Purāṇic method of transmission—authoritative teaching delivered in an assembly (samāgama) through a recognized narrator (Sūta).