Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

Sṛṣṭi-varṇana, Bhārata-khaṇḍa-mahātmya, and Jagad-bhūgola

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

आकाशवाय्वग्रिजलभूमयोऽब्जभवात्मज । यथाक्रमं कारणतामेकैकस्योपयान्ति च ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

ākāśavāyvagrijalabhūmayo'bjabhavātmaja | yathākramaṃ kāraṇatāmekaikasyopayānti ca || 33 ||

Translation

โอ้บุตรแห่งผู้บังเกิดจากดอกบัว (พรหมา)! อากาศ ลม ไฟ น้ำ และแผ่นดิน—ตามลำดับ—แต่ละอย่างย่อมบรรลุฐานะเป็นเหตุแห่งสิ่งถัดไป

Word by Word

• आकाश: ether/space
• आकाश: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural) — collective listing sense

• वायु: wind/air
• वायु: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• जल: water
• जल: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भूमयः: earths/earth-element
• भूमयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अम्बुज-भव-आत्मज: O son of the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• अम्बुज-भव-आत्मज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक) + भव (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — संबोधन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अम्बुजभवस्य आत्मजः

• यथा-क्रमम्: in due order
• यथा-क्रमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb)

• कारणताम्: the state of being a cause
• कारणताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारणता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एकैकस्य: of each (one)
• एकैकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकैक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (contextual), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — ‘of each one’

• उपयान्ति: attain/assume
• उपयान्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing a son of Brahma, in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma (Abjabhava)

FAQs

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

It presents a classical tattva-based view of creation: the gross elements unfold in an ordered chain of causality, encouraging the seeker to discern the world as a structured manifestation rather than ultimate reality.

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

By showing that the elements arise through an ordered dependence, the verse supports bhakti by directing attention beyond the changing material chain toward the supreme source who transcends these elements and can be worshipped as the ultimate refuge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a direct Vedanga instruction, it aligns with nirukta and philosophical exegesis used in Purana teaching—clarifying technical categories (tattvas/panchabhutas) that underpin ritual symbolism and cosmological references in Vedic literature.