Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 121

Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline

Devanagari script

त्यक्तग्राम्यवस्त्राभ्यवहारोपभोगा वन्यौषधिफलमूलपर्णपरिमितविचित्रनियताहाराः । स्थानासनिनोभूपाषाणसिकताशर्करावालुकाभस्मशायिनः काशुकुशचर्मवल्कलसंवृतांगाः । केशश्यश्रुनखरोमधारिणो नियतकालोपस्पर्शनाःशुष्कबलिहोमकालानुष्टायिनः । समित्कुशकुसुमापहारसंमार्जनलब्धविश्रामाः शीतोष्णपवनविष्टं भविभिन्नसर्वत्वचो । विविधनियमयोगचर्यानुष्टानविहितपरिशुष्कमांसशोणितत्वगस्थिभूता धृतिपराः सत्त्वयोगाच्छरीराण्युद्वहंते ॥ १२१ ॥

Transliteration

tyaktagrāmyavastrābhyavahāropabhogā vanyauṣadhiphalamūlaparṇaparimitavicitraniyatāhārāḥ | sthānāsaninobhūpāṣāṇasikatāśarkarāvālukābhasmaśāyinaḥ kāśukuśacarmavalkalasaṃvṛtāṃgāḥ | keśaśyaśrunakharomadhāriṇo niyatakālopasparśanāḥśuṣkabalihomakālānuṣṭāyinaḥ | samitkuśakusumāpahārasaṃmārjanalabdhaviśrāmāḥ śītoṣṇapavanaviṣṭaṃ bhavibhinnasarvatvaco | vividhaniyamayogacaryānuṣṭānavihitapariśuṣkamāṃsaśoṇitatvagasthibhūtā dhṛtiparāḥ sattvayogāccharīrāṇyudvahaṃte || 121 ||

Translation

Having renounced worldly clothing, conduct, and enjoyments, they live on a measured, disciplined diet of forest herbs, fruits, roots, and leaves. They remain fixed in one place and posture, lying on bare ground, stone, sand, gravel, dust, or ashes, with their limbs covered only by kāśa reeds, kuśa-grass, skins, or bark. Keeping hair, beard, nails, and body-hair uncut, bathing only at prescribed times, and performing the scheduled rites of dry offerings and homa, they find rest only after gathering fuel-sticks, kuśa and flowers, and after cleaning and sweeping. Enduring cold, heat, and wind, their skin becomes cracked and rough; by diverse restraints and yogic disciplines their flesh, blood, skin, and even bones grow exceedingly emaciated—yet, established in fortitude, they sustain their bodies through the power of sattva (purity and inner steadiness).

Word by Word

• त्यक्त-ग्राम्य-वस्त्र-अभ्यवहार-उपभोगाः: having abandoned worldly clothes, eating, and enjoyments
• त्यक्त-ग्राम्य-वस्त्र-अभ्यवहार-उपभोगाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यक्त (√त्यज् धातु, क्त कृदन्त) + ग्राम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यवहार (प्रातिपदिक) + उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां ग्राम्यवस्त्राभ्यवहारोपभोगाः त्यक्ताः ते’ (whose worldly clothes/food-intake/enjoyments are abandoned)

• वन्य-औषधि-फल-मूल-पर्ण-परिमित-विचित्र-नियत-आहाराः: whose regulated diet consists of forest herbs, fruits, roots, and leaves
• वन्य-औषधि-फल-मूल-पर्ण-परिमित-विचित्र-नियत-आहाराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्य (प्रातिपदिक)+औषधि (प्रातिपदिक)+फल (प्रातिपदिक)+मूल (प्रातिपदिक)+पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)+परिमित (√मा धातु, क्त)+विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)+नियत (√यम् धातु, क्त)+आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां आहारः ...’ (whose diet is regulated/limited to forest herbs, fruits, roots, leaves)

• स्थान-आसनिनः: staying in one place
• स्थान-आसनिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + आसनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘स्थाने आसनिनः’ (those who sit/abide in one place)

• भू-पाषाण-सिकता-शर्करा-वाळुका-भस्म-शायिनः: sleeping on ground, stones, sand, gravel, or ash
• भू-पाषाण-सिकता-शर्करा-वाळुका-भस्म-शायिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)+पाषाण (प्रातिपदिक)+सिकता (प्रातिपदिक)+शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)+वाळुका/वालुका (प्रातिपदिक)+भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)+शायिन् (√शी धातु, णिनि-प्रत्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘भूपाषाणादिषु शायिनः’ (sleeping on ground/stone/sand/gravel/ash)

• काश-कुश-चर्म-वल्कल-संवृत-अङ्गाः: whose bodies are covered with reeds, kuśa grass, skins, and bark garments
• काश-कुश-चर्म-वल्कल-संवृत-अङ्गाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काश (प्रातिपदिक)+कुश (प्रातिपदिक)+चर्म (प्रातिपदिक)+वल्कल (प्रातिपदिक)+संवृत (सम्+√वृ धातु, क्त)+अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषाम् अङ्गानि ... संवृतानि’ (whose limbs are covered with reeds, kuśa, skins, bark-cloth)

• केश-श्मश्रु-नख-रोम-धारिणः: keeping hair, beard, nails, and body-hair (untrimmed)
• केश-श्मश्रु-नख-रोम-धारिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)+श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक)+नख (प्रातिपदिक)+रोम (प्रातिपदिक)+धारिन् (√धृ धातु, णिनि/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां ... धार्यते’ (wearing/keeping hair, beard, nails, body-hair)

• नियत-काल-उपस्पर्शनाः: performing ablutions at fixed times
• नियत-काल-उपस्पर्शनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (√यम्, क्त)+काल (प्रातिपदिक)+उपस्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषाम् उपस्पर्शनं नियतकालम्’ (bathing/ablutions at fixed times)

• शुष्क-बलि-होम-काल-अनुष्ठायिनः: observing the times for (dry) offerings and fire-rites
• शुष्क-बलि-होम-काल-अनुष्ठायिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)+बलि (प्रातिपदिक)+होम (प्रातिपदिक)+काल (प्रातिपदिक)+अनुष्ठायिन् (अनु+√स्था धातु, णिनि/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां ... अनुष्ठानम्’ (observing times for dry offerings and homa)

• समित्-कुश-कुसुम-अपहार-संमार्जन-लब्ध-विश्रामाः: resting only after gathering fuel/kuśa/flowers and cleaning (duties)
• समित्-कुश-कुसुम-अपहार-संमार्जन-लब्ध-विश्रामाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समित् (प्रातिपदिक)+कुश (प्रातिपदिक)+कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)+अपहार (प्रातिपदिक)+संमार्जन (प्रातिपदिक)+लब्ध (√लभ्, क्त)+विश्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां विश्रामः ... लब्धः’ (finding rest after collecting fuel, kuśa, flowers, and cleaning)

• शीत-उष्ण-पवन-विष्टम्: afflicted by cold, heat, and wind
• शीत-उष्ण-पवन-विष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)+उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)+पवन (प्रातिपदिक)+विष्ट (√विश्/√वेश्?; here ‘विष्ट’ = afflicted/entered; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (contextually qualifying a neuter collective like ‘शरीरम्/देहम्’ implied); द्वन्द्व (शीत+उष्ण) with तत्पुरुष to पवन; अर्थ: ‘शीतोष्णपवनैः विष्टम्’ (afflicted by cold, heat, wind)

• भवि-भिन्न-सर्व-त्वचः: whose entire skin is cracked/split
• भवि-भिन्न-सर्व-त्वचः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भवि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘earth/ground’ or ‘becoming’; here likely ‘भूमि/भवि’ as rough ground) + भिन्न (√भिद्, क्त)+सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)+त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां सर्वा त्वक् ... भिन्ना’ (whose whole skin is cracked/split, likely due to rough ground and austerity)

• विविध-नियम-योग-चर्या-अनुष्ठान-विहित-परिशुष्क-मांस-शोणित-त्वक्-अस्थि-भूताः: reduced to dried flesh, blood, skin, and bones through various disciplines and yogic observances
• विविध-नियम-योग-चर्या-अनुष्ठान-विहित-परिशुष्क-मांस-शोणित-त्वक्-अस्थि-भूताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)+नियम (प्रातिपदिक)+योग (प्रातिपदिक)+चर्या (प्रातिपदिक)+अनुष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)+विहित (वि+√धा, क्त)+परिशुष्क (परि+√शुष्, क्त)+मांस (प्रातिपदिक)+शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)+त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)+अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)+भूत (√भू, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘येषां देहः ...’ (reduced to dried flesh, blood, skin, and bones due to prescribed observances of various restraints, yoga, and conduct)

• धृति-पराः: steadfast, devoted to endurance
• धृति-पराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)+पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘धृतौ पराः’ (devoted to fortitude)

• सत्त्व-योगात्: through sattva-yoga (purity/strength of mind)
• सत्त्व-योगात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)+योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सत्त्वस्य योगात्’ (by union with sattva / by strength of purity)

• शरीराणि: bodies
• शरीराणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• उद्वहन्ते: they bear/carry on (their bodies)
• उद्वहन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+√वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It portrays the Moksha-oriented ascetic ideal: renunciation, regulated living, endurance of opposites (heat/cold/wind), and inner steadiness (sattva and dhṛti) as the basis for sustaining life while pursuing liberation.

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

Bhakti is not described explicitly here; the verse supports devotion indirectly by emphasizing purification (sattva), self-restraint, and disciplined living—conditions traditionally considered supportive for steady remembrance and worship of the Supreme.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalānuṣṭhāna—performing rites like bali and homa at prescribed times—reflecting practical ritual discipline aligned with Vedic injunctions (kalpa/ācāra) rather than technical exposition of a specific Vedanga.