Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

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

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

सृष्ट्यर्थं तु पुरा देवो दक्षिणाङ्गात्प्रजापतिम् । मध्येरुद्राख्यमीथानं जगदन्तकरं मुने ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

sṛṣṭyarthaṃ tu purā devo dakṣiṇāṅgātprajāpatim | madhyerudrākhyamīthānaṃ jagadantakaraṃ mune || 4 ||

Translation

เพื่อการสร้างสรรพ์ ในกาลก่อน พระผู้เป็นเจ้าทรงบังเกิดปรชาปติจากเบื้องขวา และจากส่วนกลางทรงปรากฏผู้มีนามว่ารุทระ ผู้ดุดันและเป็นผู้ยังความสิ้นสุดแห่งโลก โอ้มุนี

Word by Word

• सृष्टि-अर्थम्: for the purpose of creation
• सृष्टि-अर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सृष्ट्यर्थम् = सृष्टेः अर्थम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दक्षिण-अङ्गात्: from the right limb
• दक्षिण-अङ्गात्: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (दक्षिणम् अङ्गम्)

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः: ‘in the middle’)

• रुद्र-आख्यम्: named ‘Rudra’
• रुद्र-आख्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (रुद्र इति आख्यं)

• ईथानम्: a seat/abode (reading: īthāna)
• ईथानम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईथान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (पाठान्तर/दुर्लभ-शब्दः; ‘स्थान/आसन/आधार’ इत्यर्थे)

• जगत्-अन्त-करम्: bringing about the end of the world
• जगत्-अन्त-करम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जगतः अन्तं करोति)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It frames creation and dissolution as coordinated divine functions: Prajāpati embodies generative order (progeny and continuity), while Rudra embodies transformative dissolution—both arising from the one Lord.

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

By presenting multiple cosmic powers as emanations of one supreme source, it supports bhakti as single-pointed devotion to the Lord beyond all functions—creator, sustainer, and dissolver.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Itihasa–Purana style cosmology rather than a Vedanga; indirectly it informs ritual and theology by clarifying deity-functions (Prajāpati for creation rites, Rudra for appeasement/śānti contexts).