Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

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

Devanagari script

क्षमारित्रां सत्यमयीं धर्मस्थैर्यकराकराम् । त्यागवाताध्वगां शीघ्रां बुद्धिनावं नदीं तरेत् ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

kṣamāritrāṃ satyamayīṃ dharmasthairyakarākarām | tyāgavātādhvagāṃ śīghrāṃ buddhināvaṃ nadīṃ taret || 75 ||

Translation

Mit dem Boot der Unterscheidung—dessen Ruder Vergebung ist, dessen Wesen Wahrheit ist und das den Dharma fest gründet—vom Wind der Entsagung schnell getrieben, soll man den Fluss des Samsara überqueren.

Word by Word

• क्षमा-रित्राम्: having forgiveness as its oar
• क्षमा-रित्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक) + रित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (क्षमा एव रित्रम्/नौकाप्रेरकं यस्याः)

• सत्य-मयीम्: made of truth
• सत्य-मयीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सत्येन मयी—made of truth)

• धर्म-स्थैर्य-कर-आकराम्: a mine/source that produces steadfastness in dharma
• धर्म-स्थैर्य-कर-आकराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थैर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक) + आकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (धर्मस्य स्थैर्यं करोति; तस्य आकरः/निधानम्)

• त्याग-वात-अध्वगाम्: moving by the wind of renunciation
• त्याग-वात-अध्वगाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्याग (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्वग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (त्यागः वातः; तेन अध्वगा—moving by the wind of renunciation)

• शीघ्राम्: swift
• शीघ्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बुद्धि-नावम्: the boat of intellect
• बुद्धि-नावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + नाव्/नौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (बुद्धिः एव नावः/नौका)

• नदीम्: river
• नदीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तरेत्: should cross
• तरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It presents a moksha-oriented metaphor: saṃsāra is a river, and liberation is reached by boarding the “boat” of buddhi (clear discernment), guided by forgiveness and truth, stabilized by dharma, and powered by renunciation.

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

While not naming a deity here, it lays the ethical and inner disciplines that make bhakti steady: truthfulness, forgiveness, and dharma-supporting conduct, strengthened by tyāga (letting go of ego and attachment), which allows devotion to mature into liberating wisdom.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; instead it emphasizes practical dharma-sādhana—cultivating kṣamā, satya, and tyāga as applied disciplines that support moksha.