Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 97

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

तदा रजोऽधिके नारी भवेद्रेतोऽधिके पुमान् । मलकर्मादिपाशेन कश्चिदात्मा नियंत्रितः ॥ ९७ ॥

Transliteration

tadā rajo'dhike nārī bhavedreto'dhike pumān | malakarmādipāśena kaścidātmā niyaṃtritaḥ || 97 ||

Translation

Wenn das weibliche Element (rajas) überwiegt, wird ein Mädchen geboren; wenn der männliche Same (retaḥ) überwiegt, wird ein Junge geboren. Doch ein individuelles Selbst wird durch die Fesseln von Unreinheit, Karma und dergleichen gebunden und gelenkt.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• रजः-अधिके: when menstrual fluid is predominant
• रजः-अधिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition-location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (रजः अधिकम् यस्मिन्/यत्र); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative absolute sense with भवेत्

• नारी: a woman (female child)
• नारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रेतः-अधिके: when semen is predominant
• रेतः-अधिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition-location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; condition for pumān

• पुमान्: a man (male child)
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; irregular stem

• मल-कर्म-आदि-पाशेन: by the fetter of impurity, actions, etc.
• मल-कर्म-आदि-पाशेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (मल-कर्म-आदि) + पाश; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• कश्चित्: some
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite)

• आत्मा: self, soul
• आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to कश्चित्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नियंत्रितः: restrained, controlled
• नियंत्रितः: Kriya (क्रियाफल/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/vedāṅga-oriented discourse)

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 contrasts bodily causation (rajas/retas influencing sex at birth) with the deeper doctrine that the jīva is still bound by mala and karma—pointing beyond physiology to liberation from bondage.

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

By emphasizing that the self is entangled by karmic bonds, it implicitly supports bhakti as a liberating means—turning the mind from material determinants to surrender and purification that loosens karma’s noose.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical, śāstra-style account of conception/birth factors and the linked purity (mala) and karma framework—topics commonly treated alongside dharma and ritual purity discussions in vedāṅga-oriented sections.