Shloka 58

Nārāyaṇasya Guhya-nāmāni Niruktāni (Etymologies of Nārāyaṇa’s Secret Epithets) / नारायणस्य गुह्यनामानि निरुक्तानि

Devanagari script

स त्वं निवृत्तबन्धस्तु निवृत्तश्नापि कर्मत:

Transliteration

sa tvaṃ nivṛttabandhas tu nivṛttaś cāpi karmataḥ

Translation

Nārada sprach: Du, der du dich von weltlichen Bindungen zurückgezogen hast und dich auch vom Handeln als bindendem Streben abgewandt hast, stehst nun frei von den Verstrickungen, die den Menschen gewöhnlich antreiben. Der ethische Akzent liegt auf innerer Entsagung: die Anhaftung an Beziehungen und an Karma, das um eigener Zwecke willen getan wird, zu lösen.

Word by Word

सःhe/that (one)

त्वम्you

निवृत्तबन्धःone whose bondage has ceased / freed from bonds

तुbut/indeed

निवृत्तश्नःone who has ceased eating (abstinent)

अपिalso/even

कर्मतःfrom action; with respect to action

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True freedom is marked by nivṛtti: the cessation of binding attachments (bandha) and the turning away from karma pursued for self-interest. The verse points to inner detachment as the ethical foundation for liberation-oriented life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses the listener directly, characterizing them as one who has already withdrawn from bonds and from action as a binding enterprise, setting up further instruction on the path of renunciation and liberation.