Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

केशिध्वजोऽपि मुक्त्यर्थं स्वकर्मक्षपणोन्मुखः । बुभुजे विषयान्कर्म चक्रे चानभिसन्धितम् ॥ ८० ॥

Transliteration

keśidhvajo'pi muktyarthaṃ svakarmakṣapaṇonmukhaḥ | bubhuje viṣayānkarma cakre cānabhisandhitam || 80 ||

Translation

কেশিধ্বজোও মোক্ষৰ্থে, নিজৰ পূৰ্বকৰ্মৰ অৱশিষ্ট ক্ষয় কৰিবলৈ উদ্যত হৈ, বিষয়ভোগ কৰিলেও ফলৰ কোনো অভিসন্ধি নৰাখি নিষ্কামভাৱে কৰ্ম কৰিলে।

Word by Word

• keśidhvajaḥ: Keśidhvaja (name)
• keśidhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśidhvaja (प्रातिपदिक; keśi + dhvaja)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (keśeḥ dhvajaḥ)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = ‘also/even’

• mukti-artham: for liberation
• mukti-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष/प्रयोजनार्थकः (muktyai arthaḥ) = ‘for the sake of liberation’

• sva-karma-kṣapaṇa-unmukhaḥ: intent on the destruction of his own karma
• sva-karma-kṣapaṇa-unmukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of keśidhvajaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣapaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + unmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (स्वकर्मणः क्षपणे उन्मुखः)

• bubhuje: enjoyed, partook
• bubhuje: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• viṣayān: sense-objects
• viṣayān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• karma: action, deed
• karma: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• cakre: did, performed
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

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

• anabhisandhitam: unintended, without ulterior motive
• anabhisandhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-abhisandhita (कृदन्त; √sandhā/√saṃ-dhā with abhi-, past passive participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) = ‘not intended/without ulterior motive’; कर्म-विशेषणम् (qualifies karma)

Speaker

Narada (in discourse to the Sanatkumara brothers on Moksha-dharma and non-attached action)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Keśidhvaja

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation is compatible with living in the world: one may experience sense-objects, but moksha arises when actions are performed without ulterior intention and with the aim of wearing away karmic residue.

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

By emphasizing non-possessive, non-result-seeking action, it supports a bhakti-aligned attitude: offering one’s life and duties without selfish aims, which purifies the heart and makes devotion steady.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is directly taught; the practical takeaway is ethical-ritual discipline—performing prescribed duties without craving results (anabhisandhita karma) as a purificatory method.