Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

शिरः शिखां च संपूर्य कुभयित्वा विरेचयेत् । वाममध्यात्परैर्वायुं क्रमेण प्राणसंयमे ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

śiraḥ śikhāṃ ca saṃpūrya kubhayitvā virecayet | vāmamadhyātparairvāyuṃ krameṇa prāṇasaṃyame || 47 ||

Translation

In der Übung der Atemlenkung soll man den Atem bis zum Kopf und zum Scheitelhaar füllen, ihn fest anhalten und dann ausatmen. Danach soll man, beginnend links und dann in der Mitte, den Atem Schritt für Schritt in der rechten Reihenfolge regulieren.

Word by Word

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शिखाम्: the topknot/crest (śikhā)
• शिखाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• सम्पूर्य: having filled
• सम्पूर्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+√पॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/त्वान्त), ‘having filled completely’

• कुभयित्वा: having held (the breath)
• कुभयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कु√भि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund), ‘having restrained/held’ (प्राणायाम-प्रयोगे)

• विरेचयेत्: should exhale
• विरेचयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√रेच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘should exhale/purge’

• वाम-मध्यात्: from the left (nostril)
• वाम-मध्यात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/abl), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘from the left (nostril) middle/side’ i.e., left nostril

• परैः: by the other (side)
• परैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/inst), बहुवचन; ‘by the other (nostril)’

• वायुम्: air/breath
• वायुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्रमेण: gradually/in sequence
• क्रमेण: Rīti (रीति/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially) — ‘in order/gradually’

• प्राण-संयमे: in breath-control
• प्राण-संयमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + संयम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/loc), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘in the restraint of breath (prāṇāyāma)’

Speaker

Narada (teaching the method of prāṇasaṃyama in a yogic-ritual instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It presents prāṇasaṃyama as a purificatory discipline: filling, retaining (kumbhaka), and exhaling in a regulated sequence to steady the mind and prepare for higher meditation.

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

While the verse is technical yogic instruction, such breath-discipline supports bhakti by stabilizing attention, reducing restlessness, and enabling sustained remembrance and worship with a focused mind.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied yogic technique allied to Vedic discipline—systematic regulation of prāṇa (breath) through ordered steps (krama), including retention (kumbhaka) and exhalation (recaka), used as a practical sādhanā.