Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

कर्मणा देहमाप्नोति देही कामेन बध्यते । कामाल्लोभाभिभूतः स्याल्लोभात्क्रोधपरायणाः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

karmaṇā dehamāpnoti dehī kāmena badhyate | kāmāllobhābhibhūtaḥ syāllobhātkrodhaparāyaṇāḥ || 4 ||

Translation

কৰ্মৰ দ্বাৰা দেহীয়ে দেহ পায়, আৰু কামনাৰ দ্বাৰা বন্ধনত পৰে। কামনাৰ পৰা লোভে আৱৰি ধৰে, লোভৰ পৰা সি ক্ৰোধত পৰায়ণ হয়।

Word by Word

• कर्मणा: by action/karma
• कर्मणा: Karana/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• देहम्: a body
• देहम्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• आप्नोति: attains/obtains
• आप्नोति: Kriya/Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present indicative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• देही: the embodied one
• देही: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• कामेन: by desire
• कामेन: Karana/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• बध्यते: is bound
• बध्यते: Kriya/Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present indicative, Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• कामात्: from desire
• कामात्: Apadana/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Ablative (5th), Singular

• लोभाभिभूतः: overpowered by greed
• लोभाभिभूतः: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अभि + भू (धातु)
• Form: भूत-कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (लोभेन अभिभूतः)

• स्यात्: would become
• स्यात्: Kriya/Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकार), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• लोभात्: from greed
• लोभात्: Apadana/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Ablative (5th), Singular

• क्रोधपरायणाः: given over to anger
• क्रोधपरायणाः: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुष (क्रोधे परायणाः = devoted to anger)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada in a didactic dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It outlines the chain of bondage in saṃsāra: karma leads to embodiment, then desire binds the jīva, desire expands into greed, and greed culminates in anger—showing why inner restraint is essential for liberation.

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

By identifying desire-greed-anger as binding forces, it implicitly recommends redirecting craving toward devotion—fixing the mind on Bhagavān rather than sense-objects—so that attachment loosens and the heart becomes fit for bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical self-discipline (indriya-nigraha) and awareness of mental causality, which supports all sādhana including mantra and ritual.