Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

श्रोत्रं घ्राणं तथास्यं च हृदयं कोष्ठमेव च । आकाशात्प्राणिनामेते शरीरे पंच धातवः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

śrotraṃ ghrāṇaṃ tathāsyaṃ ca hṛdayaṃ koṣṭhameva ca | ākāśātprāṇināmete śarīre paṃca dhātavaḥ || 77 ||

Translation

Ohr, Nase, Mund, Herz und ebenso die innere Höhlung (des Rumpfes): dies sind bei Lebewesen die fünf leiblichen Bestandteile, die aus dem Element Raum (ākāśa) hervorgehen.

Word by Word

• श्रोत्रम्: ear (organ of hearing)
• श्रोत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• घ्राणम्: nose (organ of smell)
• घ्राणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थ (also)

• आस्यम्: mouth/face
• आस्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• कोष्ठम्: trunk/viscera cavity
• कोष्ठम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आकाशात्: from ether/space
• आकाशात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण-कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या (numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘धातवः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• धातवः: elements/constituents
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It classifies bodily functions into elemental origins, encouraging detachment by seeing the body as a product of the pañca-bhūtas rather than the Self—supporting mokṣa-oriented discrimination (viveka).

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

By identifying the senses and inner organs as elemental and temporary, the verse indirectly guides the devotee to redirect attention from sense-identity to remembrance of the eternal Lord—using the body as an instrument for bhakti rather than as the goal.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This is closer to sāṅkhya-style tattva analysis than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it supports disciplined sense-management (indriya-nigraha) used in Vedic ritual purity and meditative practice described across Moksha-dharma sections.