Shloka 53

Description of the Origin of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmāṇḍa) and the Ocean as King of Tīrthas

Devanagari script

तत्त्रिधा समभूद्भद्रे द्रव्यज्ञानक्रियात्मकम् । वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेत्यहं त्रिधा ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

tattridhā samabhūdbhadre dravyajñānakriyātmakam | vaikārikastaijasaśca tāmasaścetyahaṃ tridhā || 53 ||

Translation

Hỡi bậc cát tường, nguyên lý ấy trở thành ba phần—mang bản tính của vật chất, tri thức và hành động. Vì thế “ta” cũng có ba dạng: vaikārika, taijasa và tāmasa.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (ahaṃkāra)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• त्रिधा: threefold
• त्रिधा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): ‘in three ways’

• समभूत्: became
• समभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भू (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• द्रव्य-ज्ञान-क्रिया-आत्मकम्: having the nature of substance, knowledge, and action
• द्रव्य-ज्ञान-क्रिया-आत्मकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—द्रव्यं च ज्ञानं च क्रिया च आत्मा/स्वभावो यस्य तत्

• वैकारिकः: vaikārika (sāttvika)
• वैकारिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैकारिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; (one of the three forms)

• तैजसः: taijasa (rājasa)
• तैजसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• तामसः: tāmasa (tāmasika)
• तामसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इत्यर्थक निपात)

• अहम्: I (ahaṃkāra)
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• त्रिधा: threefold
• त्रिधा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressing 'bhadre' as the listener in the discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It frames manifestation as a threefold expression—substance, knowing, and doing—mapped to the three guṇas (vaikārika/sāttvika, taijasa/rājasa, tāmasa), guiding the seeker to discern how experience arises and how to move toward clarity (sattva).

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

By identifying the tāmasa and rājasa modes as sources of obscuration and restlessness, it implicitly supports bhakti-sādhana that increases sāttvika (vaikārika) qualities—purity, steadiness, and lucid devotion—so the mind can rest on the Lord without distraction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily philosophical (tattva/guṇa-viveka) rather than a direct Vedāṅga instruction; practically, it supports disciplined practice by diagnosing mental states (sattva-rajas-tamas) used in dharma, vrata observance, and contemplative study.