Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

कर्तृशक्तिं व्यंजयति तेनेदं तु कलाभिधम् । कालेन च नियत्योपसर्गतां समुपेतया ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

kartṛśaktiṃ vyaṃjayati tenedaṃ tu kalābhidham | kālena ca niyatyopasargatāṃ samupetayā || 50 ||

Translation

Ia menyingkapkan śakti keagenan (kartu-śakti); karena itu disebut Kalā. Ia bekerja bersama Waktu, serta berada di bawah kondisi-imbuhan Niyati (determinisme kosmis).

Word by Word

• कर्तृ-शक्तिम्: the power of agency
• कर्तृ-शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• व्यञ्जयति: manifests/reveals
• व्यञ्जयति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तेन: therefore/by that
• तेन: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma/Pratijñā (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• कला-अभिधम्: named ‘Kalā’
• कला-अभिधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of इदम्): 'named'

• कालेन: by time
• कालेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नियति-उपसर्गताम्: the state of being affected/overcome by Niyati
• नियति-उपसर्गताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियति (प्रातिपदिक) + उपसर्गतā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समुपेतया: accompanied by
• समुपेतया: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/सह)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-इ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle) from समुपेत; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; 'with/being accompanied by'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/technical exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Kala
• Niyati

FAQs

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

The verse explains that individual doership (kartṛ-śakti) becomes visible only within the framework of Kalā (time-conditioned operation), and that this doership is further constrained by Niyati—highlighting why liberation requires transcending time-bound identification with action.

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

By showing that agency is conditioned by Time and Niyati, the verse supports the bhakti attitude of surrender—offering actions to Vishnu rather than clinging to independent doership—so devotion becomes a means to rise beyond karmic limitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to a technical understanding of time and causality used in Vedic disciplines—especially Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology/time-reckoning) and ritual timing—where actions are performed within ‘kāla’ while recognizing limiting conditions (niyati).