Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

Sṛṣṭi-varṇana, Bhārata-khaṇḍa-mahātmya, and Jagad-bhūgola

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

ततो ब्रह्या जगद्धाता तामसानसृजत्प्रभुः । तिर्यग्योनिगताञ्जन्तून्पशुपक्षिमृगादिकान् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

tato brahyā jagaddhātā tāmasānasṛjatprabhuḥ | tiryagyonigatāñjantūnpaśupakṣimṛgādikān || 34 ||

Translation

Puis Brahmā, le Seigneur qui soutient l’univers, créa les êtres de nature tāmasique : ceux nés des matrices animales, tels que bétail, oiseaux, cerfs et autres.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जगत्-धाता: the sustainer of the world
• जगत्-धाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: जगतः धाता

• तामसान्: tamasic (dark)
• तामसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• असृजत्: created
• असृजत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः विशेषणरूपेण

• तिर्यक्-योनि-गतान्: those gone into animal wombs
• तिर्यक्-योनि-गतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त, √गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘गतान्’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः: तिर्यग्योनौ गताः

• जन्तून्: creatures
• जन्तून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• पशु-पक्षि-मृग-आदिकान्: animals, birds, beasts, and the like
• पशु-पक्षि-मृग-आदिकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (enumerative) with ‘आदि’ indicating etc.

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic account as transmitted in the dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It situates animal and bird births (tiryag-yoni) within the tāmasika mode of creation, teaching that embodied life appears in graded forms influenced by guṇas and past tendencies (saṃskāras/karma).

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

Indirectly, it frames why human birth is prized for sādhana: compared to tāmasika tiryag-yoni, the human condition is presented elsewhere in the Purāṇa as more fit for dharma and Viṣṇu-bhakti, encouraging devotees to use the opportunity for worship and restraint.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; it primarily conveys Purāṇic cosmology using technical categories such as guṇa (tamas) and yoni (type of birth).