Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40
Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State
दुर्बलं दुर्बलं पूर्वं गृहस्येव विनश्यति । इन्द्रियाणि मनो वायुः शोणितं मांसमस्थि च ॥ ४० ॥
durbalaṃ durbalaṃ pūrvaṃ gṛhasyeva vinaśyati | indriyāṇi mano vāyuḥ śoṇitaṃ māṃsamasthi ca || 40 ||
Wie in einem Haus zuerst die schwachen Teile einstürzen, so vergeht auch im Körper das Gebrechliche früher: die Sinne, der Geist, der Lebenshauch (prāṇa), Blut, Fleisch und selbst die Knochen.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It highlights deha-anityatā (the body’s perishability): since the senses, mind, and even vital functions deteriorate first, one should prioritize moksha-oriented practice—detachment, self-inquiry, and devotion—before decline overtakes one’s capacity.
By stressing the unreliability of bodily and mental faculties, it urges reliance on steady bhakti and remembrance of the Divine rather than on fluctuating sense-power; devotion becomes the stable refuge when the “house” of the body begins to fail.
It implicitly supports śikṣā and yoga-style prāṇa-discipline and the broader dharma of indriya-nigraha (sense-restraint): regulating speech/breath and training the mind are practical tools because these faculties are fragile and easily lost with time.