Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

एष षडिधविस्तारो रसो वारिमयः स्मृतः । शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपश्च त्रिगुणं ज्योतिरुच्यते ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

eṣa ṣaḍidhavistāro raso vārimayaḥ smṛtaḥ | śabdaḥ sparśaśca rūpaśca triguṇaṃ jyotirucyate || 86 ||

Translation

Cette « saveur » (rasa), comprise comme de nature aqueuse, est dite se déployer en six manières. Et le son, le toucher et la forme : ces trois qualités sont déclarées appartenir au feu (jyotis).

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• षडिध-विस्तारः: sixfold expansion
• षडिध-विस्तारः: Pratipādya (प्रतिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + इध (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षडिधः विस्तरः = sixfold expansion)

• रसः: taste
• रसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वारिमयः: consisting of water
• वारिमयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित) → वारिमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (made of water), विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is stated
• स्मृतः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (is said/considered)

• शब्दः: sound
• शब्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्पर्शः: touch
• स्पर्शः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• रूपः: form/color
• रूपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (रूपशब्दस्य पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्रिगुणम्: threefold (having three qualities)
• त्रिगुणम्: Pratipādya (प्रतिपाद्य/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयः गुणाः यस्य/त्रिगुणम्)

• ज्योतिः: light (fire principle)
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is called/said)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It trains the mind in tattva-viveka (discrimination of principles): recognizing how sense-objects and elemental qualities arise helps loosen identification with the body and supports liberation-oriented knowledge (moksha-dharma).

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

By clarifying that sensory qualities belong to changing elements, the verse encourages vairāgya (detachment); this steadies the heart so devotion can be directed toward the unchanging Supreme rather than toward sense-experience.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a direct Vedāṅga lesson, it reflects the technical, Sāṅkhya-like mapping of guṇas/qualities used in Vedic philosophical instruction—useful as a conceptual foundation for ritual and contemplative disciplines.