Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 90

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

स्वप्रकाशं महात्मानं परं ज्योतिः सनातनम् । यमामनन्ति तत्त्वज्ञाः सवितारं नृचक्षुषाम् ॥ ९० ॥

Transliteration

svaprakāśaṃ mahātmānaṃ paraṃ jyotiḥ sanātanam | yamāmananti tattvajñāḥ savitāraṃ nṛcakṣuṣām || 90 ||

Translation

Para tattvajña menyatakan Dia sebagai Mahātman yang bercahaya sendiri, Cahaya Tertinggi yang kekal—Savitṛ, Sang Surya, mata umat manusia.

Word by Word

• स्व-प्रकाशम्: self-luminous
• स्व-प्रकाशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘self-luminous’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महात्मानम्: the great soul
• महात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of the object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier of jyotiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘call’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular), सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• आमनन्ति: call/declare
• आमनन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु) उपसर्ग आ + (आमन्/आमन्त्रय् अर्थे)
• Form: लट् (Present, लट्), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्त्व-ज्ञाः: knowers of reality
• तत्त्व-ज्ञाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘knowers of truth’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सवितारम्: Savitṛ (the Sun)
• सवितारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to ‘yam’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नृ-चक्षुषाम्: of human eyes / of men
• नृ-चक्षुषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘eyes of men’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; Purva Bhaga dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ (Sun)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme Reality as self-luminous, eternal light, and explains that the Sun (Savitṛ) is a manifest symbol of that supreme illumination for embodied beings.

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

By presenting Savitṛ as an accessible manifestation of the Supreme Light, it supports devotional contemplation—seeing the divine presence in the Sun while remembering the transcendent source beyond form.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the Vedic solar principle central to daily discipline—linking sacred recitation and contemplation associated with Savitṛ (e.g., solar worship traditions) to tattva-jñāna, a foundation also used in jyotiṣa (astral/solar reckoning) and ritual timing.