Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Anadhyaya and the Winds: From Vedic Recitation Protocol to Sanatkumara’s Moksha-Upadesha

Devanagari script

यदा सर्वं परित्यज्य गंतव्यमवशेन वै । अनर्थे किं प्रसक्तस्त्वं स्वमर्थं नानुतिष्टसि ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

yadā sarvaṃ parityajya gaṃtavyamavaśena vai | anarthe kiṃ prasaktastvaṃ svamarthaṃ nānutiṣṭasi || 68 ||

Translation

Wenn du doch eines Tages machtlos fortgehen musst und alles zurücklässt—warum hängst du am Nutzlosen? Warum verfolgst du nicht dein wahres Heil?

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘everything’ (object of leaving)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having abandoned’

• गन्तव्यम्: one must go
• गन्तव्यम्: Vidheyārtha (विधेयार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः: ‘it must be gone’

• अवशेन: by force; helplessly
• अवशेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘by compulsion/helplessness’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Vākya-sambandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/assurance)

• अनर्थे: in what is useless/harmful
• अनर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• किम्: why?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle, ‘why?’)

• प्रसक्तः: attached
• प्रसक्तः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + सञ्ज्/सक्त (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘attached/engaged’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वम्: your own
• स्वम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; modifies अर्थम्

• अर्थम्: true good/aim; benefit
• अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अनुतिष्ठसि: you pursue/practice
• अनुतिष्ठसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

FAQs

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

It urges vairagya (dispassion) by reminding that death forces everyone to leave all possessions, so one should seek the lasting goal—paramārtha, liberation.

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

By rejecting anartha (worthless pursuits), it implicitly redirects the mind to the true artha—service and remembrance of the Supreme (commonly framed in the Narada Purana as Vishnu-bhakti), which survives beyond bodily departure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga is taught here; the practical takeaway is ethical discernment (viveka): prioritize the puruṣārtha of moksha over transient gains, which can guide one’s choices in ritual, study, and daily conduct.