Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

अनिर्दश्योऽप्रतर्क्यश्च कथं ज्ञायेत कैर्मुने । कथमेनं परात्मानं कालशक्तिदुरन्वयम् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

anirdaśyo'pratarkyaśca kathaṃ jñāyeta kairmune | kathamenaṃ parātmānaṃ kālaśaktiduranvayam || 10 ||

Translation

അവൻ ദൃശ്യമല്ല, തർക്കാതീതനുമാണ്—ഹേ മുനേ, അവനെ ആരാൽ അറിയാൻ കഴിയും? കാലവും അതിന്റെ ശക്തിയും പിന്തുടരാൻ ദുഷ്കരമായ ആ പരമാത്മാവിനെ എങ്ങനെ ഗ്രഹിക്കാം?

Word by Word

• अनिर्दश्यः: not visible/indescribable
• अनिर्दश्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिर्दश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (निर्दश्यः न)

• अप्रतर्क्यः: inconceivable
• अप्रतर्क्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रतर्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (तर्केण न गम्यः)

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

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• ज्ञायेत: could be known
• ज्ञायेत: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (passive sense: ‘be known’)

• कैः: by whom/with what (means)
• कैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एनद्-आदेश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनाफोरिक-सर्वनाम (enam = him/this)

• परात्मानम्: the Supreme Self
• परात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—परः आत्मा (कर्मधारय)

• काल-शक्ति-दुरन्वयम्: hard to relate/trace through time and power
• काल-शक्ति-दुरन्वयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दुरन्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—(कालशक्त्या) दुरन्वयः इति तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (whose connection is hard to trace with time and power)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Paratman
• Kala
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It stresses that the Supreme Self cannot be grasped by the senses or mere intellectual argument; realization requires a higher means of knowledge—scriptural testimony supported by disciplined practice and inner purification.

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

By declaring the Supreme beyond perception and logic, the verse indirectly supports bhakti as a valid approach—trustful surrender and remembrance of the Lord as taught by sages, rather than reliance on reasoning alone.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implies the limits of tarka (reasoning) and elevates śāstra-pramāṇa (scriptural authority); this aligns with disciplined study methods supported by Vedanga tools like Vyakarana for correct understanding of revealed texts.