Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

यन्मु खाद्ब्राह्यणो जातो बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रियोऽजनि । ऊर्वोर्वैश्यः समुत्पन्नः पद्यां शूद्रोऽभ्यजायत ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

yanmu khādbrāhyaṇo jāto bāhubhyāṃ kṣatriyo'jani | ūrvorvaiśyaḥ samutpannaḥ padyāṃ śūdro'bhyajāyata || 33 ||

Translation

Dari mulut-Nya lahir Brāhmaṇa; dari lengan-Nya terwujud Kṣatriya. Dari paha-Nya muncul Vaiśya, dan dari kaki-Nya terlahir Śūdra.

Word by Word

• यत्: from whom/whose
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘whose/from whom’ (referring to the cosmic being)

• मुखात्: from the mouth
• मुखात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, intransitive sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was born/arose’

• बाहुभ्याम्: from the two arms
• बाहुभ्याम्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/तृतीया द्विवचन (here Ablative sense: from the two arms)

• क्षत्रियः: the Kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अजनि: was born/arose
• अजनि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ऊर्वोः: from the two thighs
• ऊर्वोः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी द्विवचन; here पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from the two thighs)

• वैश्यः: the Vaiśya
• वैश्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समुत्पन्नः: arose
• समुत्पन्नः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-पद् (धातु) → उत्पन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘arisen/produced’

• पद्भ्याम्: from the two feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/तृतीया द्विवचन; here पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from the two feet)

• शूद्रः: the Śūdra
• शूद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभ्यजायत: was born/was produced
• अभ्यजायत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-जा (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Purusha (Cosmic Person)

FAQs

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

It presents society as arising from the one Cosmic Person, implying that all roles are part of a single sacred order and should function in harmony as an offering to dharma.

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

By grounding all human duties in the Divine source, it supports the bhakti view that one’s rightful work (svadharma) becomes spiritually fruitful when performed in remembrance of and dedication to the Supreme.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It most directly supports Dharma-śāstra application (right conduct by social function); it is not a technical Vedanga passage like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa, but it frames how duties are classified for ritual and conduct.