Shloka 52

Description of the Origin of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmāṇḍa) and the Ocean as King of Tīrthas

Devanagari script

सत्त्वाद्या ह्यभवंस्तेभ्यो महत्तत्वं समुद्गतम् । पुरुषस्येच्छया तत्तु व्याकृतं समभूदहम् ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

sattvādyā hyabhavaṃstebhyo mahattatvaṃ samudgatam | puruṣasyecchayā tattu vyākṛtaṃ samabhūdaham || 52 ||

Translation

それらより、まことにサットヴァに始まる諸グナが生じ、さらにその諸グナからマハット（大原理）が現れた。ついでプルシャの意志によって、その（マハット）は分別され展開し、そして「我」は顕現の存在として現れた。

Word by Word

• सत्त्व-आद्याः: the (principles) beginning with sattva
• सत्त्व-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—सत्त्वं आदिः येषां ते (sattva etc. as the first)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic/causal sense

• अभवन्: came into being
• अभवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); Parasmaipada

• तेभ्यः: from them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Plural (बहुवचन)

• महत्-तत्त्वम्: the great principle (mahat-tattva)
• महत्-तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः—महच्च तत् तत्त्वम्

• समुद्गतम्: arisen/emerged
• समुद्गतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; agreeing with महत्तत्त्वम्

• पुरुषस्य: of the Puruṣa
• पुरुषस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• इच्छया: by (his) will
• इच्छया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• तत्: that (mahat-tattva)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic

• व्याकृतम्: manifested/differentiated
• व्याकृतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-आ-कृ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; agreeing with तत्

• समभूत्: became
• समभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भू (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I (ahaṃkāra)
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Mahat-tattva
• Sattva
• Ahaṃ (ahaṅkāra/ego-principle)

FAQs

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

It frames creation as a purposeful unfolding: the guṇas give rise to Mahat (cosmic intellect), and manifestation proceeds under the will of the Puruṣa—implying a conscious divine ground behind the cosmos.

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

By attributing cosmic evolution to the Puruṣa’s will, the verse supports Bhakti as alignment with the Supreme Person—seeing all emergence as dependent on Him rather than autonomous material causation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga practice is taught directly; the verse primarily conveys tattva-vicāra (metaphysical analysis) akin to Sāṅkhya categories, useful as a philosophical foundation for Dharma and Moksha teachings.