Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

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

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

तस्मात्पुण्यतमं ज्ञेयं भारतं वर्षमुत्तमम् । देवानां दुर्लभं वापि सर्वकर्मफलप्रदम् ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

tasmātpuṇyatamaṃ jñeyaṃ bhārataṃ varṣamuttamam | devānāṃ durlabhaṃ vāpi sarvakarmaphalapradam || 70 ||

Translation

Karena itu, ketahuilah Bhārata-varṣa sebagai negeri paling utama dan paling suci; bahkan bagi para dewa pun sulit diperoleh, sebab menganugerahkan buah dari segala karma.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative adverbial form (तस्मात् = तस्मादिति), hetu/therefore sense

• puṇyatamam: most meritorious
• puṇyatamam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya-tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); superlative (तमप्)

• jñeyam: to be known; should be known
• jñeyam: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/अनीयर् sense; here -ya), Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); bhāva/vidhi: ‘should be known’

• bhāratam: Bhārata
• bhāratam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• varṣam: region; land (varṣa)
• varṣam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); apposition to bhāratam

• uttamam: excellent; best
• uttamam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); varṣa-viśeṣaṇa (वर्षविशेषण)

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• durlabham: hard to obtain
• durlabham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-labha (प्रातिपदिक; dur + labha)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); bhāratavarṣa-viśeṣaṇa (भारतवर्षविशेषण)

• vā: or; even
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), alternative/emphasis

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• sarvakarmaphalapradam: granting the fruits of all actions
• sarvakarmaphalapradam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-karma-phala-prada (प्रातिपदिक; sarva + karma + phala + prada)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); bhāratavarṣa-viśeṣaṇa (भारतवर्षविशेषण)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Bharata-varsha

FAQs

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

It declares Bhārata-varṣa as the most sacred realm because it uniquely enables karma to bear fruit—making it a privileged field for dharma, worship, and spiritual striving, rare even for the devas.

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

By stating that Bhārata-varṣa grants the fruit of all actions, it implies that devotional acts—such as pūjā, japa, vrata, and kīrtana—performed here are especially potent and quickly fructify as divine grace and spiritual progress.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily emphasizes karma-phala (ritual action and its results), aligning with Kalpa (ritual procedure) as a practical framework: correct performance of dharmic acts in Bhārata-varṣa is portrayed as reliably fruit-giving.