Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

व्याकृतोत्पादका ज्ञेया रजः सत्त्वतमोभिधाः । अव्याकृतस्य पुंसो हि गुणा विज्ञापकाः शुभे ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

vyākṛtotpādakā jñeyā rajaḥ sattvatamobhidhāḥ | avyākṛtasya puṃso hi guṇā vijñāpakāḥ śubhe || 49 ||

Translation

当知名为罗阇斯、萨埵、昏暗（rajas、sattva、tamas）之三德，乃生起显现界（vyākṛta）者。吉祥者啊，正是这些德性作为标识，使人得以领会不显之人格（avyākṛta puruṣa）。

Word by Word

• व्याकृत-उत्पादकाः: producers of manifestation
• व्याकृत-उत्पादकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याकृत (कृदन्त/PPP from वि-आ-कृ धातु) + उत्पादक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘व्याकृतस्य उत्पादकाः’ (producers of the manifested)

• ज्ञेयाः: are to be known
• ज्ञेयाः: Vidhi (विधेय/प्रवृत्ति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थ (to be known)

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्त्व-तमः-अभिधाः: (and) called sattva and tamas
• सत्त्व-तमः-अभिधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (itaretara) with ‘अभिधा’ sense: ‘सत्त्व-तमः इति अभिधा येषां ते’ (called sattva and tamas)

• अव्याकृतस्य: of the unmanifest
• अव्याकृतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्याकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पुंसः’)

• पुंसः: of the person (puruṣa)
• पुंसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• गुणाः: the guṇas
• गुणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विज्ञापकाः: indicators/revealers
• विज्ञापकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (agent noun/ण्वुल्-प्रत्ययार्थ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘गुणाः’)

• शुभे: O auspicious one
• शुभे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas)
• Prakṛti (implicit)
• Vyākṛta
• Avyākṛta

FAQs

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

It teaches that the manifest universe (vyākṛta) arises through the three guṇas, and that the unmanifest Puruṣa is inferred through their operations—encouraging discernment of nature’s qualities to move toward liberation.

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

By distinguishing the guṇas as forces of prakṛti, the verse supports bhakti as a way to turn attention from guṇa-driven change toward the unmanifest Lord/Puruṣa, cultivating sattva and transcending all three guṇas through devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily tattva-teaching (Sāṅkhya-style analysis) rather than a Vedāṅga instruction; practically, it aids interpretive clarity (nirukta/semantic discernment) by defining technical terms like vyākṛta, avyākṛta, and guṇa.