Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

यद्यदाप्नोति स बहूनत्ति वै कालसंभवम् । पितर्युपरते सोऽथ भ्रातृभ्रातृव्यबांधवैः ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

yadyadāpnoti sa bahūnatti vai kālasaṃbhavam | pitaryuparate so'tha bhrātṛbhrātṛvyabāṃdhavaiḥ || 41 ||

Translation

Welchen Reichtum ein Mensch auch erlangt, er wird wahrlich von vielen verzehrt, denn er ist ein Erzeugnis der Zeit. Und wenn der Vater dahingegangen ist, wird dieser Besitz von Brüdern, Vettern und anderen Verwandten an sich genommen und genutzt.

Word by Word

• यत्-यत्: whatever (things)
• यत्-यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति); ‘यत् यत्’ = ‘whatever’ (correlative)

• आप्नोति: obtains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘(तान्)’ इति अध्याहृतं कर्मविशेषणम्

• अत्ति: eats
• अत्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• काल-संभवम्: produced by time/seasonal
• काल-संभवम्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कालात् संभवः/कालेन संभवः); ‘(अन्नम्/भोज्यम्)’ इति अध्याहृतस्य विशेषणम्

• पितरि: when/with the father
• पितरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (with regard to father / when father...)

• उपरते: having passed away, ceased
• उपरते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√रम् (धातु) (कृदन्त—क्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘पितरि’ इति सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘when the father has ceased/passed away’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• अथ: then
• अथ: Anantarya (अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then, thereafter)

• भ्रातृ-भ्रातृव्य-बान्धवैः: by/with brothers, cousins, and relatives
• भ्रातृ-भ्रातृव्य-बान्धवैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रातृव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (भ्रातरः च भ्रातृव्याः च बान्धवाः च); करण/सहकारक (by/with)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Moksha-Dharma context, in dialogue-flow associated with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It teaches vairāgya (detachment) by showing that possessions are kāla-sambhava—time-born and time-consumed—so clinging to wealth cannot be the basis of lasting happiness or liberation.

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

By highlighting the instability of worldly ownership, it redirects the seeker from dependence on family-held wealth to reliance on what is enduring—devotional surrender and remembrance of the Divine rather than temporary assets.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is directly taught; the practical takeaway is dharma-informed household prudence: recognize inheritance dynamics and cultivate non-attachment alongside righteous living.