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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

Varṇāśrama-ācāra: Common Virtues, Varṇa Duties, and the Four Āśramas

मन्वाद्यैरुदितं यच्च वर्णाश्रमनिबन्धनम् । तत्ते वक्ष्यामि विधिवद्भक्तोऽसि त्वमधोक्षजे ॥ ६ ॥

manvādyairuditaṃ yacca varṇāśramanibandhanam | tatte vakṣyāmi vidhivadbhakto'si tvamadhokṣaje || 6 ||

ذلك النظام الخاصّ بالفرْنَة والآشْرَمَة، كما علّمه مانو وسائر الحكماء، سأبيّنه لك على الوجه اللائق؛ لأنك مُخلِصٌ لأدهوكشَجَة، الربّ المتعالي عن الحواس.

मन्वाद्यैःby Manu and others
मन्वाद्यैः:
Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण/Agent in passive)
TypeNoun
Rootमनु-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः ‘मनुश्च आदयश्च’ (अर्थतः द्वन्द्वभाव, रूपतः आदि-समास/तत्पुरुष)
उदितम्said, proclaimed
उदितम्:
Karma (कर्म/Patient)
TypeAdjective
Rootउदित (कृदन्त; √वद्/√उद्+इ?; here from √वद् with उद्- prefix: उद्+वद् → उदित)
Formभूतकृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण
यत्which (that)
यत्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)
वर्णाश्रमनिबन्धनम्the regulation/ordinance of varṇa and āśrama
वर्णाश्रमनिबन्धनम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to यत्)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण-आश्रम-निबन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः ‘वर्णाश्रमयोः निबन्धनम्’ (determinative)
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formचतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (enclitic)
वक्ष्यामिI will tell
वक्ष्यामि:
Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन
विधिवत्according to proper procedure
विधिवत्:
Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविधिवत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (according to rule)
भक्तःa devotee
भक्तः:
Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण/Predicate of subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)
असिyou are
असि:
Kriya (क्रिया/Copula)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formप्रथमा, एकवचन
अधोक्षजेin (devotion to) Adhokṣaja (Vishnu)
अधोक्षजे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootअधोक्षज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विषये/आश्रये (in/with regard to)

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

M
Manu
A
Adhokṣaja (Vishnu)

FAQs

It frames varṇāśrama-dharma as a disciplined, methodical teaching given to a sincere devotee, showing that right conduct is meant to support devotion to Adhokṣaja (Viṣṇu).

Bhakti is presented as the qualification to receive detailed dharma-instruction: because the listener is devoted to Viṣṇu, the teacher promises a complete and proper exposition of duties.

The emphasis is on vidhivat—doing things by correct procedure—reflecting the practical discipline behind ritual and conduct as preserved in smṛti traditions (though no single Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa is explicitly named in this verse).