Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

स्वप्रकाशमनिर्देश्यं महतां च महत्तरम् । अणोरणीयांसमजं सर्वोपाधिविवर्जितम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

svaprakāśamanirdeśyaṃ mahatāṃ ca mahattaram | aṇoraṇīyāṃsamajaṃ sarvopādhivivarjitam || 24 ||

Translation

祂自光明而不可言诠，伟大超越一切伟大；微细胜过至微，未生不生，离一切附加限定（upādhi）——此即至上实相。

Word by Word

• sva-prakāśam: self-luminous
• sva-prakāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + prakāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'self-luminous')

• anirdeśyam: indescribable
• anirdeśyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nirdeśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• mahatām: of the great ones
• mahatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• mahattaram: greater (than the great)
• mahattaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat-tara (प्रातिपदिक; तरप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण, तुलनात्मक (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; comparative: 'greater')

• aṇoḥ: of the atom/minute
• aṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• aṇīyāṃsam: smaller (than the smallest)
• aṇīyāṃsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + īyasun (ईयसुन् प्रत्यय; comparative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण, अतिशय-तुलनात्मक (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; comparative: 'smaller')

• ajam: unborn
• ajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• sarva-upādhi-vivarjitam: devoid of all limiting adjuncts
• sarva-upādhi-vivarjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + upādhi (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-varjita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vṛj/varj धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; √varj (वर्ज्) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त ‘विवर्जित’ (past participle); विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'devoid of')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-oriented discourse style within Purva Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It defines the Supreme as self-revealing and beyond verbal definition, teaching that liberation comes from realizing the unborn Reality that is untouched by body–mind limitations (upādhis).

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

By stating that the Supreme is beyond all limiting attributes, it guides devotion away from merely external forms toward single-pointed worship that culminates in recognizing the Lord as the inner, self-luminous ground of all experience.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is Vedāntic discernment (viveka) of upādhi versus the Self—useful for applying scriptural study (especially Vyākaraṇa-based precision of terms like upādhi and anirdeśya) to spiritual practice.