Shloka 41

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Goloka-tattva and Rādhā–Kṛṣṇa Upāsanā

Devanagari script

न वेत्ति तं चानुशयी वेदानुशयिनं स तु । शंखचक्रगदापद्मैरलंकृतभुजद्वयाः ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

na vetti taṃ cānuśayī vedānuśayinaṃ sa tu | śaṃkhacakragadāpadmairalaṃkṛtabhujadvayāḥ || 41 ||

Translation

Bahkan pelajar yang sentiasa berjaga pun tidak benar-benar mengenal-Nya—Dia ialah dasar batin bagi Veda. Dia bersemayam dalam kebijaksanaan Veda; kedua lengan-Nya dihiasi dengan sangkha (siput), cakra (cakera), gada (belantan), dan padma (teratai).

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha (निषेध) particle

• vetti: knows
• vetti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (द्वितीया/2nd), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; samuccaya (समुच्चय) conjunction

• anuśayī: the latent-impression-bearer (anuśayī)
• anuśayī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anuśayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• veda-anuśayinam: the one whose latent basis is the Veda / the Veda-abiding one
• veda-anuśayinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + anuśayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘vedasya anuśayī’; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध-बोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nipāta particle

• śaṃkha-cakra-gadā-padmaiḥ: with conch, discus, mace, and lotus
• śaṃkha-cakra-gadā-padmaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व); Napumsaka (collective), Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana

• alaṃkṛta-bhuja-dvayāḥ: having two arms adorned
• alaṃkṛta-bhuja-dvayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alaṃkṛta (√alaṃkṛ/कृ धातु, क्त) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-भाव) sense: ‘alaṃkṛtaṃ bhuja-dvayam yeṣām’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; (describes an implied plural group)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Lord (Vishnu) transcends mere scriptural study; even diligent Vedic learning is incomplete without realizing Him as the inner essence of the Vedas.

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

By identifying the Lord through His classic emblems (conch, discus, mace, lotus), the verse directs the mind toward personal devotion to Vishnu, emphasizing loving recognition over purely intellectual knowledge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The takeaway aligns with Vedanta-oriented interpretation: texts and their auxiliaries (like Vyakarana or Kalpa) serve as supports, but their purpose culminates in grasping the Lord as the Vedas’ inner meaning.