Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Saṃsāra-duḥkha: Karmic Descent, Garbhavāsa, Life’s Anxieties, Death, and the Call to Jñāna-Bhakti

Devanagari script

मया पोषिता दाराश्च स्वकर्मवशादन्यतो गताः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

mayā poṣitā dārāśca svakarmavaśādanyato gatāḥ || 14 ||

Translation

মই পত্নী (আৰু পৰিয়াল) পোহপাল দিছিলোঁ, তথাপি তেওঁলোকে নিজ নিজ কৰ্মবশে অন্য ঠাইলৈ গ’ল।

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); उत्तमपुरुष-संबन्ध (1st person); तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• पोषिताः: nourished, maintained
• पोषिताः: कर्तृसम्बन्धि विशेषण (Subject-qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पोषय् (धातु) → पोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying)

• दाराः: wives
• दाराः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वकर्मवशात्: due to the force of their own karma
• स्वकर्मवशात्: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व + कर्म + वश (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (determinative) — (स्वकर्मस्य वशः) ‘under the control of one’s own actions’; तस्मात्-प्रत्ययान्त/पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-एकवचनार्थ (Ablative sense: ‘due to/from’)

• अन्यतः: from elsewhere
• अन्यतः: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); दिशा/स्थानवाचक (from elsewhere)

• गताः: gone
• गताः: कर्तृसम्बन्धि विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘gone’ (predicate adjective)

Speaker

Narada (in a didactic narrative on detachment and the outcomes of karma)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that worldly relationships are not fully controllable; each being moves according to their own karma, so one should cultivate detachment and seek the imperishable refuge of Dharma and liberation.

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

By highlighting the unreliability of worldly supports, it indirectly directs the mind toward steady reliance on the Divine—Bhakti—where refuge is not subject to the fluctuations of others’ karma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discernment in Gṛhastha-dharma—support others, yet remain inwardly unattached, recognizing karma’s role.