Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma

Devanagari script

कल्पकोटिसहस्त्रेषु महान्भोग उदाहृतः । सर्वेषामेव लोकानां विनाशः प्राकृते लये ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

kalpakoṭisahastreṣu mahānbhoga udāhṛtaḥ | sarveṣāmeva lokānāṃ vināśaḥ prākṛte laye || 59 ||

Translation

Dẫu trải qua hàng ngàn ức kiếp (kalpa), người ta vẫn nói đến “đại lạc” ấy; nhưng vào thời kỳ đại tan rã nguyên sơ (prākṛta-laya), sự hủy diệt của mọi thế giới quả thật xảy ra.

Word by Word

• कल्प-कोटि-सहस्त्रेषु: in thousands of crores of kalpas
• कल्प-कोटि-सहस्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + कोटि + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सहस्र), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative Plural Neuter; ‘in thousands of crores of kalpas’

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative Singular Masculine; agrees with भोगः

• भोगः: enjoyment/experience
• भोगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative Singular Masculine

• उदाहृतः: has been stated
• उदाहृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘has been mentioned’

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive Plural (all)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात; restrictive particle

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive Plural Masculine

• विनाशः: destruction
• विनाशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative Singular Masculine

• प्राकृते: natural/primordial
• प्राकृते: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative Singular Masculine; agrees with लये

• लये: in dissolution
• लये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative Singular Masculine

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Laya

FAQs

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

It emphasizes impermanence: even vast spans of pleasure across countless kalpas end when prākṛta-laya arrives, urging the seeker to aim for liberation beyond cosmic cycles.

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

By showing that all worlds perish at dissolution, it indirectly redirects reliance from temporary lokas and enjoyments to the imperishable Lord—making Vishnu Bhakti the stable refuge beyond pralaya.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa-style cosmic time-reckoning (kalpa-scale chronology) used in Purāṇic cosmology, helping frame rituals and vows within a worldview of cyclical time and dissolution.