Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

Devanagari script

पंच ज्ञानेंद्रियाण्युक्त्वा मनः षष्टानि चेतसि । बसषष्टानि वक्ष्यामि पंच कर्मेद्रियाणि तु ॥ ६९ ॥

Transliteration

paṃca jñāneṃdriyāṇyuktvā manaḥ ṣaṣṭāni cetasi | basaṣaṣṭāni vakṣyāmi paṃca karmedriyāṇi tu || 69 ||

Translation

Nachdem die fünf Erkenntnisorgane und der Geist als das sechste im inneren Bewusstsein dargelegt wurden, werde ich nun auch die fünf Handlungsorgane beschreiben.

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्द (numeral), बहुवचनार्थे; विशेषण (qualifying ‘इन्द्रियाणि’)

• ज्ञान-इन्द्रियाणि: sense-organs of knowledge
• ज्ञान-इन्द्रियाणि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ज्ञानस्य इन्द्रियाणि’ (organs of knowledge)

• उक्त्वा: having stated
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action adjunct)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having said/mentioned’

• मनः: mind
• मनः: कर्ता/कर्म (in enumeration; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• षष्टानि: six (as a set)
• षष्टानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘(इन्द्रियाणि)’ as ‘six’)

• चेतसि: in the mind/heart
• चेतसि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• षष्टानि: six
• षष्टानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (repeated; text has ‘बसषष्टानि’ likely corruption)

• वक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• वक्ष्यामि: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-शब्द (numeral), बहुवचनार्थे; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कर्मेन्द्रियाणि’)

• कर्म-इन्द्रियाणि: organs of action
• कर्म-इन्द्रियाणि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कर्मणः इन्द्रियाणि’ (organs of action)

• तु: and/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (Contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; contrast/emphasis)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It frames the inner map used for liberation: the five knowledge-senses with the mind as the sixth are to be understood first, and then the five action-organs—so that one can practice disciplined mastery of both cognition and action for Moksha.

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

By clarifying how perception (jñānendriyas) and activity (karmendriyas) operate under the mind, the verse supports bhakti-sādhana: senses are redirected from worldly objects toward hearing, remembering, and serving the Lord with controlled mind and purified actions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse is primarily a Moksha-Dharma/Sāṅkhya-style classification rather than a direct Vedāṅga rule; practically, it aids disciplined recitation, listening, and ritual conduct by distinguishing knowledge-organs, action-organs, and the mind that coordinates them.