Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

यश्च नारायणः स्रष्टा स्वयंभूर्भगवन्स्वयम् । सेव्यसेवकभावेन वर्तेते इति तौ सदा ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

yaśca nārāyaṇaḥ sraṣṭā svayaṃbhūrbhagavansvayam | sevyasevakabhāvena vartete iti tau sadā || 8 ||

Translation

അവൻ തന്നേ നാരായണൻ—സ്രഷ്ടാവ്, സ്വയംഭൂ, സ്വയം ഭഗവാൻ—എന്നേക്കുമായി ദ്വിവിധഭാവത്തിൽ വർത്തിക്കുന്നു: സേവ്യൻ (ആരാധ്യൻ) എന്നും (അന്തര്യാമിയായി) സേവകൻ എന്നും।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

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

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्रष्टा: creator
• स्रष्टा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• स्वयंभूः: self-born
• स्वयंभूः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (emphatic adverb)

• सेव्य-सेवक-भावेन: by the relation of served-and-servant
• सेव्य-सेवक-भावेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवक (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—(सेव्य + सेवक) इति द्वन्द्व, ततः भावेन सह षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (सेव्यसेवकयोः भावः)

• वर्तेते: they exist/operate
• वर्तेते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu
• Bhagavan

FAQs

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

It teaches that Nārāyaṇa is not only the supreme Creator but also present as both the object of worship and the inner impulse of devotion, making bhakti a direct participation in the divine.

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

By presenting the eternal 'sevya–sevaka' relationship, it frames devotion as a sacred polarity: the Lord receives worship, and the devotee’s capacity to worship is also sustained by the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is upāsanā-bhāva—cultivating the identity of oneself as sevaka (servant) while recognizing Nārāyaṇa as sevya (the worship-worthy).