Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Bharata’s Attachment and the Palanquin Teaching on ‘I’ and ‘Mine’

Devanagari script

चक्रनद्यां जपंस्तस्थौ मुहुर्तत्रयमंबुनि । अथाजगाम तत्तीरं जलं पातुं पिपासिता ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

cakranadyāṃ japaṃstasthau muhurtatrayamaṃbuni | athājagāma tattīraṃ jalaṃ pātuṃ pipāsitā || 14 ||

Translation

Im Fluss Cakranadī blieb sie im Wasser eingetaucht und sprach unablässig Japa, drei Muhūrtas lang. Dann, von Durst überwältigt, kam sie an jenes Ufer, um Wasser zu trinken.

Word by Word

• चक्रनद्याम्: in the Cakra river
• चक्रनद्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र-नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नामधेय)

• जपन्: reciting (a mantra)
• जपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) → जपन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘जपन्’ = muttering/reciting

• तस्थौ: stood; remained
• तस्थौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुहूर्त: a muhurta (time unit)
• मुहूर्त: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण; कालवाचक

• त्रयम्: three
• त्रयम्: Kala-parimana (कालपरिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• अम्बुनि: in water
• अम्बुनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• आजगाम: came
• आजगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण; सर्वनाम-विशेषण ‘that’

• तीरम्: bank; shore
• तीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• पातुम्: to drink
• पातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु) → पातुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) ‘पातुम्’ = to drink

• पिपासिता: (a female) thirsty
• पिपासिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिपासित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘पिपासिता’ = thirsty

Speaker

Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Cakranadi

FAQs

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

It highlights disciplined sādhana: sustained japa performed while immersed in a sacred river, showing purification through both mantra-practice and tirtha-associated austerity.

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

By emphasizing japa (repetition of a sacred name/mantra) done with endurance and focus; even basic bodily needs like thirst arise, yet the devotee’s practice remains central and purposeful.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Time-reckoning is implied through the use of muhūrta (a traditional unit of time), reflecting practical Jyotiṣa-style calendrical/time awareness used to structure rituals and daily sādhana.