Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Bharata’s Attachment and the Palanquin Teaching on ‘I’ and ‘Mine’

Devanagari script

भूमौ पादयुगं चाथ जंघे पादद्वये स्थिते । ऊरु जंघाद्वयावस्थौ तदाधारं तथोदरम् ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

bhūmau pādayugaṃ cātha jaṃghe pādadvaye sthite | ūru jaṃghādvayāvasthau tadādhāraṃ tathodaram || 57 ||

Translation

على الأرض تُوضَعُ القدمان معًا؛ وعلى القدمين تقوم الساقان. وتستند الفخذان إلى الساقين، ودعامة ذلك كلّه هي البطن، أي جذع الجسد.

Word by Word

• bhūmau: on the ground
• bhūmau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāda-yugam: the pair of feet
• pāda-yugam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd; प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pādayoḥ yugam)

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

• atha: then/next
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय)

• jaṃghe: the two shanks/legs
• jaṃghe: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṃghā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/Dual (प्रथमा-द्विवचन) (also possible Accusative/Vocative dual by form)

• pāda-dvaye: in the two feet
• pāda-dvaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + dvi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन); द्विगु-समास (dvau pādau)

• sthite: situated/placed
• sthite: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (स्था) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter/Feminine Locative Dual (सप्तमी-द्विवचन) agreeing with pāda-dvaye / (or jaṃghe by sense)

• ūru: the thigh
• ūru: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jaṃghā-dvaya-avasthau: in the position/state of the two shanks
• jaṃghā-dvaya-avasthau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṃghā (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक) + avastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Dual (द्विवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jaṃghādvayasya avasthā)

• tad-ādhāram: its support/base
• tad-ādhāram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd; प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tasya ādhāraḥ)

• tathā: likewise/so
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• udaram: the belly/abdomen
• udaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd; प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches a step-by-step contemplative mapping of supports—from earth to feet to legs to the trunk—training the mind to perceive ordered dependence and stability, a foundation for dhyana that supports moksha-oriented insight.

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

While framed as meditation, the ordered visualization can be used as a devotional contemplation of the Lord’s cosmic form—seeing every limb as sustained and purposeful—thereby focusing the mind with reverence and steadiness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily emphasizes yogic-dhyana method rather than a specific Vedanga; its practical takeaway is disciplined visualization (a meditative technique) used alongside Moksha-Dharma teachings.