Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

ससागरः सगगनः सशैलः सबलाहकः । सभूमिः साग्निपवनो लोकोऽयं केन निर्मितः ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

sasāgaraḥ sagaganaḥ saśailaḥ sabalāhakaḥ | sabhūmiḥ sāgnipavano loko'yaṃ kena nirmitaḥ || 2 ||

Translation

โลกนี้พร้อมด้วยมหาสมุทร ท้องฟ้า ภูเขา เมฆา พื้นพิภพ และธาตุไฟกับลม ใครเล่าคือผู้เนรมิตสร้าง?

Word by Word

• स-सागरः: with the ocean
• स-सागरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सह सागरेण/सागरसहितः) qualifying ‘लोकः’

• स-गगनः: with the sky
• स-गगनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘with the sky’

• स-शैलः: with mountains
• स-शैलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘with mountains’

• स-बलाहकः: with clouds
• स-बलाहकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + बलाहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘with clouds’

• स-भूमिः: with the earth
• स-भूमिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘with the earth’

• स-अग्नि-पवनः: with fire and wind
• स-अग्नि-पवनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्नि + पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘with fire and wind’; internal coordination understood

• लोकः: the world
• लोकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun in apposition to ‘लोकः’

• केन: by whom
• केन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; interrogative ‘by whom/with what’

• निर्मितः: made, constructed
• निर्मितः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) from √मा (to measure/make) with prefix निर्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate with ‘लोकः’

Speaker

Narada (questioning the Sanatkumara tradition/teachers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It turns the mind from the visible universe to its unseen cause, initiating tattva-vicāra (enquiry into ultimate reality) that supports mokṣa-oriented understanding.

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

By asking who created the cosmos and its elements, the verse prepares the ground for recognizing a supreme Lord as the source—an orientation that later matures into īśvara-bhakti (devotion to the divine cause).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; it is primarily a philosophical prompt toward sṛṣṭi (cosmology) and īśvara-kāraṇa (the divine as the cause).