Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

व्यापारवसतो ह्येषां विहिता खलु कल्पना । तत्त्वं वस्तुत एकं तु शिवाख्यं चित्रशक्तिकम् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

vyāpāravasato hyeṣāṃ vihitā khalu kalpanā | tattvaṃ vastuta ekaṃ tu śivākhyaṃ citraśaktikam || 37 ||

Translation

การจำแนกของสิ่งเหล่านี้แท้จริงวางขึ้นตามหน้าที่การทำงานของแต่ละอย่างเท่านั้น; แต่โดยสภาวะตत्त्वแล้วมีเพียงหนึ่งเดียว คือที่เรียกว่า “ศิวะ” ผู้ทรงพลังอันหลากหลาย

Word by Word

• व्यापार-वसतः: due to (their) operation/activity
• व्यापार-वसतः: Apadana (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यापार (प्रातिपदिक) + वसत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हेतु/अपादानभाव): व्यापारात् वसतः = व्यापारवसतः (‘due to activity/operation’)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विहिता: ordained, arranged
• विहिता: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) / विहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘कल्पना’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• खलु: certainly
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• कल्पना: conceptualization, construction
• कल्पना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: reality, principle
• तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वस्तुतः: in truth, actually
• वस्तुतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वस्तुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तत्त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक (contrastive particle)

• शिव-आख्यम्: called ‘Śiva’
• शिव-आख्यम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नामधेय): शिव इति आख्यं (called ‘Śiva’); ‘तत्त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चित्र-शक्तिकम्: possessing manifold power
• चित्र-शक्तिकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय: चित्रा शक्तिः यस्य/यत् (having variegated power); ‘तत्त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that many doctrinal categories are only functional labels, while the ultimate Reality is one—Śiva—expressing itself through diverse powers.

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

By affirming one supreme principle behind all forms and functions, it supports focused devotion to the One (here termed Śiva) while recognizing the diversity of divine expressions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights a key interpretive method used in śāstra: classifications (kalpanā) are made by function (vyāpāra), a principle relevant to analytical disciplines like Vyākaraṇa and Nirukta when distinguishing meanings by usage.