Shloka 24

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

पुरोधसां यथा जीवः कालः कलयतां यथा । ग्रहाणां भास्करो यद्वन्मंत्राणां प्रणवो यथा ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

purodhasāṃ yathā jīvaḥ kālaḥ kalayatāṃ yathā | grahāṇāṃ bhāskaro yadvanmaṃtrāṇāṃ praṇavo yathā || 24 ||

Translation

正如生命之气（jīva）在祭司中为最上，时间（kāla）在计量者中为最上，太阳在诸行星中为最上——同样，圣音“唵”（Praṇava, Oṁ）在一切真言中为最上。

Word by Word

• पुरोधसाम्: of priests (purohitas)
• पुरोधसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: “as/like”)

• जीवः: Jīva (the living principle)
• जीवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कलयताम्: of those who calculate/measure
• कलयताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलयत् (कृदन्त; धातु √कल्/√कलय् ‘to count/compute/consider’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle used as noun)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: “as/like”)

• ग्रहाणाम्: of planets
• ग्रहाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भास्करः: the Sun
• भास्करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: “just as”)

• मन्त्राणाम्: of mantras
• मन्त्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रणवः: Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: “as/like”)

Speaker

Narada (instructional voice within the Narada Purana’s Uttara-Bhaga style of praise and hierarchy statements)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṁ)
• Bhāskara (Sun)

FAQs

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

It establishes a hierarchy of essentials: as life, time, and the sun are primary in their domains, so Oṁ (Praṇava) is primary in mantra—implying that spiritual practice is rooted in the supreme seed-sound that leads the mind toward the highest reality.

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

By presenting Praṇava as the crown of mantras, it supports the bhakti practice of beginning worship, japa, and ritual acts with Oṁ—centering devotion on the Lord indicated by the Vedic seed-syllable and steadying the heart in reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology/astronomy) is signaled through the statement that Bhāskara (the Sun) is chief among grahas, and mantra-vidyā is emphasized by identifying Praṇava as the foundational syllable used in Vedic recitation and ritual formulations.