Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

अनादिमध्यान्तमजं परेशमनाद्यविद्याख्यतमोविनाशम् । सच्चित्परानन्दघनस्वरूपं रूपादिहीनं प्रणताःस्म देवम् ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

anādimadhyāntamajaṃ pareśamanādyavidyākhyatamovināśam | saccitparānandaghanasvarūpaṃ rūpādihīnaṃ praṇatāḥsma devam || 60 ||

Translation

Nous nous prosternons devant la Divinité—non née, Seigneur suprême—sans commencement, milieu ni fin; qui dissipe les ténèbres nommées ignorance sans origine; dont la nature est la plénitude dense de l’Être, de la Conscience et de la Béatitude suprême (sat-cit-parānanda); et qui est libre de forme et de tout attribut limitatif.

Word by Word

• अनादि-मध्य-अन्तम्: without beginning, middle, or end
• अनादि-मध्य-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (समाहार-द्वन्द्व) ‘beginning, middle, end’ with negation on ‘ādi’ in sense ‘without beginning, middle, or end’

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परेशम्: the supreme Lord
• परेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पर’ + ‘ईश’ (etymological) meaning supreme lord

• अनादि-अविद्या-आख्य-तमः-विनाशम्: destroyer of the darkness called beginningless ignorance
• अनादि-अविद्या-आख्य-तमः-विनाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त; √ख्या) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘अनाद्यविद्यया आख्यं तमः तस्य विनाशः’ (destroyer of the darkness called beginningless ignorance)

• सत्-चित्-पर-आनन्द-घन-स्वरूपम्: whose nature is a dense mass of being-consciousness-supreme bliss
• सत्-चित्-पर-आनन्द-घन-स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + घन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘सच्चित्परानन्दः घनः (घनवत्) यस्य स्वरूपम्’

• रूप-आदि-हीनम्: devoid of form and the like
• रूप-आदि-हीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘रूपादिभिः हीनम्’

• प्रणताः: bowed down
• प्रणताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणत (कृदन्त; √नम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्म: indeed (particle)
• स्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (निपात)

• देवम्: the God
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in a hymn of reverence within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Parameshvara (Supreme Deity)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as beginningless, unborn, and beyond all limitation, emphasizing that liberation arises when beginningless ignorance (avidyā) is dispelled by realizing the Divine as sat-cit-ānanda.

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

Bhakti is expressed as praṇāma (humble surrender) to the Supreme Lord; such devotion is not merely emotional but is aligned with truth—adoring the Lord as the destroyer of avidyā and the very essence of bliss.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique (like Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; its practical takeaway is Vedāntic discernment—using right understanding to remove tamas/avidyā through contemplation and worship.