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Shloka 25

Nārada’s Past Life, the Lord’s Brief Vision, and the Power of Kīrtana

एतावदुक्त्वोपरराम तन्महद् भूतं नभोलिङ्गमलिङ्गमीश्वरम् । अहं च तस्मै महतां महीयसे शीर्ष्णावनामं विदधेऽनुकम्पित: ॥ २५ ॥

etāvad uktvopararāma tan mahad bhūtaṁ nabho-liṅgam aliṅgam īśvaram ahaṁ ca tasmai mahatāṁ mahīyase śīrṣṇāvanāmaṁ vidadhe ’nukampitaḥ

ครั้นตรัสเพียงเท่านี้ องค์อธิปติสูงสุด—ผู้ปรากฏเป็นเสียง มองไม่เห็นด้วยตา แต่พิศวงยิ่ง—ก็หยุดตรัส. ด้วยความสำนึกในพระกรุณา ข้าพเจ้าก้มศีรษะถวายบังคมแด่พระองค์ ผู้ยิ่งใหญ่เหนือมหาชนทั้งปวง

एतावत्this much
एतावत्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeAdjective
Rootएतावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg) अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘so much/this much’ (object of uktvā)
उक्त्वाhaving spoken
उक्त्वा:
पूर्वकाल क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having said’
उपररामceased
उपरराम:
क्रिया (Kriyā)
TypeVerb
Rootउप + रम् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘ceased/stopped’
तत्that
तत्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (that)
महत्great
महत्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (great)
भूतम्being
भूतम्:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘being/entity’
नभोलिङ्गम्having the form of the sky
नभोलिङ्गम्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
TypeAdjective
Rootनभस् (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नभसः लिङ्गम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (having the mark/form of the sky)
अलिङ्गम्markless
अलिङ्गम्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण: ‘without material mark’
ईश्वरम्the Lord
ईश्वरम्:
सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य (Apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); apposition/object in description
अहम्I
अहम्:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg)
and
:
समुच्चय (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)
तस्मैto him
तस्मै:
सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (Dat sg)
महताम्of the great
महताम्:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeNoun
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Gen pl): ‘of the great (ones)’
महीयसेto the greatest
महीयसे:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (Dat sg); तुलनात्मक (comparative): ‘to the greater’
शीर्ष्णाwith (my) head
शीर्ष्णा:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootशीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)
अवनामम्a bow (obeisance)
अवनामम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootअव + नम् (धातु) + घञ्/अम् (भाव/कर्मप्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘bowing/obeisance’
विदधेoffered
विदधे:
क्रिया (Kriyā)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + धा (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘I performed/offered’
अनुकम्पितःcompassionate / moved by mercy
अनुकम्पितः:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनु + कम्प् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘moved with compassion’ (qualifying aham)

That the Personality of Godhead was not seen but only heard does not make any difference. The Personality of Godhead produced the four Vedas by His breathing, and He is seen and realized through the transcendental sound of the Vedas. Similarly, the Bhagavad-gītā is the sound representation of the Lord, and there is no difference in identity. The conclusion is that the Lord can be seen and heard by persistent chanting of the transcendental sound.

N
Narada Muni
S
Supreme Lord (Ishvara)

FAQs

This verse describes the Supreme Lord as beyond material symptoms and labels—He may appear in a perceivable form, yet His true nature is transcendental and not limited by matter.

Narada, overwhelmed by divine mercy, responds with humility and reverence—showing that the proper reply to the Lord’s revelation is surrender and respectful obeisance.

Cultivate humility: when receiving spiritual insight or guidance, respond by honoring the Divine and living with gratitude rather than pride or entitlement.