Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge

Jñāna-pradarśanam

Devanagari script

अनौपम्यस्वभावस्य निर्गुणस्य परात्मनः । निरूपस्याप्रमेस्य कथं नाम करोम्यहम् ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

anaupamyasvabhāvasya nirguṇasya parātmanaḥ | nirūpasyāpramesya kathaṃ nāma karomyaham || 64 ||

Translation

Làm sao ta có thể đặt tên cho Đấng Tối Thượng—bản tính vô song, vượt ngoài các guṇa, không thể mô tả bằng hình tướng, và không thể đo lường?

Word by Word

• anaupamyasvabhāvasya: of one whose nature is incomparable
• anaupamyasvabhāvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anaupamya + svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirguṇasya: of the attributeless
• nirguṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• parātmanaḥ: of the Supreme Self
• parātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive—of the Supreme Self)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirūpasya: of the formless
• nirūpasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• aprameyasya: of the immeasurable/unknowable
• aprameyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + prameya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Negative prefix a-; Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interrogative adverb

• nāma: indeed
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• karomi: do/make
• karomi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Paratman (Supreme Self)

FAQs

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

It points to the transcendence of the Supreme Reality: Brahman/Parātman cannot be captured by names, comparisons, attributes, or conceptual measures, guiding the seeker toward direct realization rather than mere description.

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

By admitting the limits of speech and concepts, the verse supports bhakti as humble surrender—devotion approaches the Supreme not by defining Him fully, but by reverence, remembrance, and heartfelt worship even when the Absolute is beyond description.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A key takeaway relates to Vyākaraṇa (grammar) and Nirukta (etymology): even perfect linguistic analysis cannot fully ‘name’ or delimit the aprameya Parātman, showing the boundary between śāstra-based expression and transcendent realization.