Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

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

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

स देवः परमः शुद्धः सत्त्वदिगुणभेदतः । मूर्तित्रयं समापन्नः सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारणम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

sa devaḥ paramaḥ śuddhaḥ sattvadiguṇabhedataḥ | mūrtitrayaṃ samāpannaḥ sṛṣṭisthityantakāraṇam || 24 ||

Translation

彼至上神祇至为清净；又因诸性（guṇa）之差别，以萨埵（sattva）等为始，示现三重形相，成为创造、维持与毁灭之因。

Word by Word

• saḥ: He
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• devaḥ: God/Lord
• devaḥ: Samana-adhikarana (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• paramaḥ: Supreme
• paramaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (परम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• śuddhaḥ: Pure
• śuddhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (शुद्ध)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sattvādigunabhedataḥ: Due to differences in qualities like Sattva
• sattvādigunabhedataḥ: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sattvādigunabheda (सत्त्वादिगुणभेद)
• Form: Adverbial suffix -tasil (Universal Ablative)

• mūrtitrayam: The triad of forms (Trimurti)
• mūrtitrayam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrtitraya (मूर्तित्रय)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• samāpannaḥ: Attained/Became
• samāpannaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/Action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + ā + pad (सम् + आ + पद्)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sṛṣṭisthityantakāraṇam: Cause of creation, maintenance, and end
• sṛṣṭisthityantakāraṇam: Visheshana (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭisthityantakāraṇa (सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारण)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Lord remains intrinsically pure and transcendent, yet manifests functional forms through the guṇas to govern the universe—creation, preservation, and dissolution—without being tainted by those functions.

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

By identifying one Supreme Deity behind all cosmic operations, the verse supports single-pointed devotion: the devotee worships the one Lord (often understood as Vishnu) who appears in different roles for the welfare and regulation of the world.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a direct Vedāṅga instruction, it reflects Sāṃkhya-style guṇa analysis used in śāstric interpretation—helpful for framing Purāṇic cosmology and ritual theology (who is invoked for which cosmic function) within a unified Supreme.