Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

उद्बुद्धशक्तिः पुरुषः प्रचोद्य महदादिकान् । भोग्ये भोगं च भोक्तारं तत्परं करणं तु सा ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

udbuddhaśaktiḥ puruṣaḥ pracodya mahadādikān | bhogye bhogaṃ ca bhoktāraṃ tatparaṃ karaṇaṃ tu sā || 54 ||

Translation

Quando o Puruṣa, com seu poder desperto, impele a Prakṛti, surgem os evolutos começando por Mahat; no campo do que é desfrutável aparecem o desfrute, o desfrutador e os instrumentos devotados a esse desfrute—esses instrumentos são, de fato, ela (Prakṛti).

Word by Word

• उद्बुद्ध-शक्तिः: (he) whose power is awakened
• उद्बुद्ध-शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद् (उपसर्ग) + बुद्ध (कृदन्त; बुध्-धातु) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'यस्य शक्तिः उद्बुद्धा सः' (as an epithet of पुरुषः)

• पुरुषः: the Person (Puruṣa)
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रचोद्य: having impelled
• प्रचोद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + चुद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), 'having impelled/urged'

• महत्-आदिकान्: Mahat and the rest (principles)
• महत्-आदिकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'महदादि' = Mahat etc. (tattvas)

• भोग्ये: in/with respect to the enjoyables
• भोग्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन

• भोगम्: enjoyment; experience
• भोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भोक्तारम्: the enjoyer
• भोक्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; agent noun from भुज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्-परम्: directed to that; intent on that
• तत्-परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (करणम् इति)

• करणम्: instrument; organ
• करणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (adversative particle)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/technical-philosophical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Prakṛti
• Mahat

FAQs

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

It frames bondage as misidentification with Prakṛti’s evolutes—objects, enjoyment, and the experiencing apparatus—while pointing to liberation through discerning the Puruṣa as distinct from these.

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

By clarifying that the senses and mind are Prakṛti’s instruments meant for worldly experience, it supports Bhakti by redirecting those same instruments toward the Lord rather than toward mere bhoga (sense-enjoyment).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This is a technical doctrinal passage aligned with analytical disciplines (śāstra-vicāra) used in Vedanga-style study: precise categorization of tattvas (Mahat, karaṇa, bhoktā/bhogya) to support correct reasoning and discrimination.