Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 179

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

स आब्रह्मकटाहांतपदान्येतानि सप्रभः । पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रनिर्भिन्नं ब्रह्माण्डं विभिदे द्विधा ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

sa ābrahmakaṭāhāṃtapadānyetāni saprabhaḥ | pādāṅguṣṭhāgranirbhinnaṃ brahmāṇḍaṃ vibhide dvidhā || 79 ||

Translation

Ses pas resplendissants s’étendirent jusqu’à la limite même du « chaudron cosmique » de Brahmā. Du bout de Son gros orteil, Il perça le brahmāṇḍa, l’œuf de l’univers, et le fendit en deux.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आ-ब्रह्म-कटाह-अन्त-पदानि: the steps reaching up to the limit of Brahmā’s ‘cauldron’ (cosmic shell)
• आ-ब्रह्म-कटाह-अन्त-पदानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कटाह (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः (आ- ‘up to’); ‘steps reaching up to the end of Brahmā’s cosmic bowl’

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणम्

• स-प्रभः: radiant
• स-प्रभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (प्रातिपदिक/उपपद) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (प्रभा यस्य सः)

• पाद-अङ्गुष्ठ-अग्र-निर्भिन्नम्: pierced by the tip of the big toe
• पाद-अङ्गुष्ठ-अग्र-निर्भिन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्भिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पादाङ्गुष्ठस्य अग्रेण निर्भिन्नम्); विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the cosmic egg (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विभिदे: split / pierced
• विभिदे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• द्विधा: into two
• द्विधा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the Lord’s transcendence: the universe is contained within Him, and even Brahmā’s cosmic domain is surpassed by His divine form and power.

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

By portraying the Lord as immeasurably greater than creation, the verse inspires surrender (śaraṇāgati) and reverent devotion to the Supreme who alone governs and sustains the cosmos.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse is primarily cosmological rather than Vedāṅga-technical; it supports Purāṇic cosmography (brahmāṇḍa, cosmic structure) used in ritual and calendrical worldviews, but it does not directly teach Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, or Jyotiṣa rules.