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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

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

भरद्वाज उवाच । कथं सलिलमुत्पन्नं कथं चैवाग्निमारुतौ । कथं वा मेदिनी सृष्टेत्यत्र मे संशयो महान् ॥ ४५ ॥

bharadvāja uvāca | kathaṃ salilamutpannaṃ kathaṃ caivāgnimārutau | kathaṃ vā medinī sṛṣṭetyatra me saṃśayo mahān || 45 ||

Bharadvāja dit : «Comment l’eau est-elle née ? Comment, en vérité, le feu et le vent sont-ils apparus ? Et comment la terre fut-elle créée ? À ce sujet, un grand doute m’habite».

bharadvājaḥBharadvāja
bharadvājaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/speaker)
TypeNoun
Rootbharadvāja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Singular
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular (एकवचन)
kathamhow?
katham:
Prashna (प्रश्न/ interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
FormInterrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय)
salilamwater
salilam:
Karta (कर्ता/subject of utpannam)
TypeNoun
Rootsalila (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular
utpannamarose; was produced
utpannam:
Kriya (क्रिया/predicative—‘arisen’)
TypeVerb
Rootut-pad (धातु) → utpanna (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
FormPast passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular
kathamhow?
katham:
Prashna (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
FormInterrogative adverb
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction particle
evaindeed; just
eva:
Avadharana (अवधारण/emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय)
agni-mārutaufire and wind
agni-mārutau:
Karta (कर्ता/subject—dual)
TypeNoun
Rootagni (प्रातिपदिक) + māruta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Dual (द्विवचन); समासः—द्वन्द्व (fire and wind)
kathamhow?
katham:
Prashna (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
FormInterrogative adverb
or
:
Vikalpa (विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
FormDisjunctive/alternative particle (विकल्प-अव्यय)
medinīearth
medinī:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootmedinī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (1), Singular
sṛṣṭācreated
sṛṣṭā:
Kriya (क्रिया/predicative—‘created’)
TypeVerb
Rootsṛj (धातु) → sṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
FormPast passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Feminine, Nominative (1), Singular; agrees with medinī
itithus
iti:
Prayojaka (उद्धरण/marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormQuotative particle (इति—उद्धरण-अव्यय)
atrahere; in this matter
atra:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatra (अव्यय)
FormDeictic adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)
memy; to me
me:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive (6) or Dative (4), Singular; enclitic form ‘me’
saṃśayaḥdoubt
saṃśayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Singular
mahāngreat
mahān:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1), Singular; adjective qualifying saṃśayaḥ

Bharadvaja

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

B
Bharadvaja
A
Agni
V
Vayu
M
Medini (Earth)

FAQs

It frames a seeker’s inquiry into sṛṣṭi (creation) as a legitimate spiritual doubt, preparing the ground for teaching that true liberation (mokṣa) comes from understanding the principles (tattvas) behind the world’s origin.

This verse does not directly teach bhakti; it establishes humble questioning. In the Purāṇic method, such inquiry leads to hearing (śravaṇa) authoritative answers, which then matures into devotion toward the Supreme who governs creation.

No specific Vedāṅga (like vyākaraṇa, jyotiṣa, or kalpa) is taught in this verse; it is primarily a cosmological/tattva question that typically precedes systematic exposition.