Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । साधु पृष्टं महाभाग त्वया लोकोपकारिणा । कथयिष्यामि तत्सर्वं यत्पृष्ट नारदर्षिणा ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ mahābhāga tvayā lokopakāriṇā | kathayiṣyāmi tatsarvaṃ yatpṛṣṭa nāradarṣiṇā || 5 ||

Translation

சூதர் கூறினார்—ஓ மகாபாக்யவானே! உலக நலன் கருதி நீர் நல்ல கேள்வி கேட்டீர். நாரத முனிவர் கேட்ட அனைத்தையும் நான் முழுமையாக உரைப்பேன்.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• साधु: well / rightly
• साधु: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle), प्रशंसार्थक (well/indeed)

• पृष्टम्: (it is) well asked
• पृष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (‘it has been asked’)

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोकोपकारिणा: by (you) who benefits the world
• लोकोपकारिणा: Karana (करण/Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक-उपकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: लोकस्य उपकारः यस्य/करोति (benefactor of the world)

• कथयिष्यामि: I shall narrate
• कथयिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिच् causative from कथ्/कथ)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: which/that (which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नारदर्षिणा: by the sage Nārada
• नारदर्षिणा: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद-ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: नारदः ऋषिः

Speaker

Suta

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Suta

FAQs

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

It establishes the sacred teaching-lineage (paramparā): a world-benefiting question is praised, and the narrator commits to transmitting Nārada’s inquiry and its full answer for the welfare of listeners.

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

Indirectly, it highlights a key bhakti practice—śravaṇa (devotional hearing): sincere, welfare-oriented inquiry leads to receiving complete sacred instruction, which is a foundation for devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse functions as a narrative preface rather than a technical Vedāṅga rule; it emphasizes method—proper questioning and faithful exposition—through which Vedāṅga and śāstra knowledge is transmitted.