Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Janaka Instructs Śuka: Āśrama-Sequence, Guru-Dependence, and Marks of Liberation

Devanagari script

प्रसार्येह यथांगानि कूर्मः संहरते पुनः । तर्थेद्रियाणि मनसा संयंतव्यानि भिक्षुणा ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

prasāryeha yathāṃgāni kūrmaḥ saṃharate punaḥ | tarthedriyāṇi manasā saṃyaṃtavyāni bhikṣuṇā || 36 ||

Translation

Wie eine Schildkröte, nachdem sie ihre Glieder ausgestreckt hat, sie wieder einzieht, so soll auch der Bettelmönch die Sinne durch den Geist zügeln.

Word by Word

• प्रसार्य: having extended
• प्रसार्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having extended'

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb): 'here/in this world'

• यथा: just as
• यथा: उपमान (comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय: 'as/just as'

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कूर्मः: tortoise
• कूर्मः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संहरते: withdraws/draws in
• संहरते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb): 'again'

• तथा: so/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय: 'so/likewise' (text has 'तर्थे' → normalized to 'तथा')

• इन्द्रियाणि: senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• संयन्तव्यानि: to be restrained/should be controlled
• संयन्तव्यानि: विधेय/कर्म (predicate obligation on object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+यम् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विधेय: 'should be restrained'

• भिक्षुणा: by a monk/mendicant
• भिक्षुणा: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive/obligative sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता-करणभाव), एकवचन; कर्तृ-निर्देश: 'by a mendicant'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on Moksha Dharma)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches pratyāhāra-like withdrawal: liberation-oriented life requires repeatedly drawing the senses back from objects, using the mind as the governing instrument—like a tortoise retracting its limbs.

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

By restraining the senses, the bhikṣu prevents distraction and preserves inner steadiness, making the mind fit for single-pointed remembrance and devotion to the Lord rather than outward craving.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Not a Vedāṅga technical topic; it highlights applied yoga-ethics within Moksha Dharma—practical discipline of mind and senses (indriya-saṃyama) as a daily method.