Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

सर्वभूतेषु भूपाल तारतम्येन लक्ष्यते । अप्राणवत्सु खल्वल्पा स्थावरेषु ततोऽधिका ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

sarvabhūteṣu bhūpāla tāratamyena lakṣyate | aprāṇavatsu khalvalpā sthāvareṣu tato'dhikā || 40 ||

Translation

Ô roi, parmi tous les êtres on constate une gradation par degrés. Dans l’inanimé elle est infime, et dans les êtres immobiles (plantes et formes fixes) elle est plus grande que cela.

Word by Word

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि भूतानि)

• भूपाल: O king
• भूपाल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• तारतम्येन: by gradation
• तारतम्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारतम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• लक्ष्यते: is perceived/seen
• लक्ष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• अप्राणवत्सु: among the non-living (without breath)
• अप्राणवत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्राणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• अल्पा: small/less
• अल्पा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• स्थावरेषु: among immovables (plants etc.)
• स्थावरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ततः: thereafter/than that
• ततः: Hetu/Comparison marker (हेतु/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अधिका: greater
• अधिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed to a king in the cited line)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches that manifestation of prāṇa/awareness is not uniform: consciousness appears in degrees across categories of existence, supporting discernment (viveka) in mokṣa-dharma.

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

By highlighting graded awareness, it implies that human birth—where awareness is clearer—best supports deliberate Viṣṇu-bhakti and disciplined practice compared to lower, less expressive states.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga procedure is taught; the verse is primarily tattva-vicāra (philosophical discrimination) using the prāṇa-based classification of beings.