Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 188

Jyotiṣa-saṅgraha: Varga-vibhāga, Bala-nirṇaya, Garbha-phala, Āyuḥ-gaṇanā

Devanagari script

वर्ज्जोङ्गेस्थे सत्स्वसत्सु तुर्यखस्थैर्यवोन्यथा । विमिश्रैः कमलं प्राहुर्वायाकंटकबाह्यगैः ॥ १८८ ॥

Transliteration

varjjoṅgesthe satsvasatsu turyakhasthairyavonyathā | vimiśraiḥ kamalaṃ prāhurvāyākaṃṭakabāhyagaiḥ || 188 ||

Translation

Wenn der Geist im Körper verankert ist und doch zwischen Wirklichem und Unwirklichem schwankt, und wenn die Festigkeit im vierten Zustand (turyā) gestört wird—dann nennen die Weisen es, wegen dieser Vermischung, einen „Lotus“, der von außen von Wind und Dornen berührt wird.

Word by Word

• वर्ज्ज: Varjja (technical/proper term)
• वर्ज्ज: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ज्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form; likely proper/technical term used as compound member (समासपूर्वपद)

• ओङ्गे: in Oṅga (place/term)
• ओङ्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); gender uncertain (contextual)

• स्थे: situated (there)
• स्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with ओङ्गे (as 'situated')

• सत्सु: among the existent/good
• सत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• असत्सु: among the non-existent/bad
• असत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• तुर्यखस्थैः: by those situated in Turyakha
• तुर्यखस्थैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुर्यख-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): तुर्यख + स्थ; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); gender context-dependent

• यव: barley / Yava (term)
• यव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form used adverbially/elliptically (प्रयोगविशेष); gender masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) base

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• विमिश्रैः: by mixed (ones)
• विमिश्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• कमलम्: lotus
• कमलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्राहुः: they said/declare
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• वाय: wind/air (vāyu-)
• वाय: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form used in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• कंटक: thorn
• कंटक: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form used in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• बाह्यगैः: by those going/being outside (external)
• बाह्यगैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष) as part of larger compound: (वाय + कंटक + बाह्यग); Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It warns that liberation-oriented awareness (turyā) becomes unstable when one remains mixed with both truth (sat) and delusion (asat); the lotus metaphor teaches inner purity with outward non-attachment.

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

Bhakti matures into steadiness when the devotee’s mind stops oscillating between worldly appearances and divine truth; otherwise devotion is ‘mixed’ and easily disturbed by external contacts (wind and thorns).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects yogic discrimination (viveka) and meditative discipline rather than a specific Vedanga; the practical takeaway is mental steadiness and guarding the mind from external agitation during sadhana.