Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Description of the Index/Summary of the Garuḍa

Purāṇa

Devanagari script

भूर्लोकवर्णनं चैव सप्ताधोलोकवर्णनम् । पंचोर्द्ध्वलोककथनं ब्रह्मांडस्थितिकीर्तनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

bhūrlokavarṇanaṃ caiva saptādholokavarṇanam | paṃcorddhvalokakathanaṃ brahmāṃḍasthitikīrtanam || 31 ||

Translation

ഇതിൽ ഭൂലോകത്തിന്റെ വർണ്ണനം, ഏഴ് അധോലോകങ്ങളുടെ വിവരണം, അഞ്ച് ഊർദ്ധ്വലോകങ്ങളുടെ കഥനം, ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡസ്ഥിതി-ക്രമത്തിന്റെ കീർത്തനം എന്നിവ ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• भूः: the earth (Bhū)
• भूः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोक-वर्णनम्: description of the world
• लोक-वर्णनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): 'लोकस्य वर्णनम्'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), (here qualifying 'अधोलोक')

• अधो-लोक-वर्णनम्: description of the lower worlds
• अधो-लोक-वर्णनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास: 'अधोलोकस्य वर्णनम्'

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), (here qualifying 'ऊर्ध्वलोक')

• ऊर्ध्व-लोक-कथनम्: account of the upper worlds
• ऊर्ध्व-लोक-कथनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'ऊर्ध्वलोकस्य कथनम्'

• ब्रह्माण्ड-स्थिति-कीर्तनम्: narration of the state/structure of the cosmos
• ब्रह्माण्ड-स्थिति-कीर्तनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'ब्रह्माण्डस्य स्थितेः कीर्तनम्'

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the contents of the Narada Purana in an anukramanika-style enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhūrloka
• Brahmāṇḍa

FAQs

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

It frames the universe as a graded, orderly cosmos—lower, middle, and higher realms—encouraging discernment (viveka) and detachment from merely earthly aims by placing human life (Bhūrloka) within a vast karmic and cosmic hierarchy.

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

Indirectly: by summarizing the cosmic structure, it prepares the listener to see all lokas as within Brahmāṇḍa and thus ultimately under the Supreme; this worldview supports Bhakti by shifting focus from loka-seeking to devotion aimed at transcendence beyond worldly tiers.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily purāṇic cosmology rather than a Vedāṅga lesson; practically, it connects to Jyotiṣa-oriented thinking (cosmic levels and order) as a conceptual background, not as a technical rule of astrology or ritual procedure.