Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

शब्दादिष्वनुरक्तानि निगृह्याक्षाणि योगवित् । कुर्य्याच्चित्तानुकारीणि प्रत्याहारपरायणः ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

śabdādiṣvanuraktāni nigṛhyākṣāṇi yogavit | kuryyāccittānukārīṇi pratyāhāraparāyaṇaḥ || 19 ||

Translation

The knower of Yoga, intent on pratyāhāra (withdrawal of the senses), should restrain the sense-organs that cling to sound and other objects, and make them follow the mind rather than the external world.

Word by Word

• शब्द-आदिषु: in sounds etc. (sense-objects)
• शब्द-आदिषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: शब्दादि = ‘sound etc.’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अनुरक्तानि: attached (to them)
• अनुरक्तानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुरक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from अनु-√रञ्ज्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying ‘अक्षाणि’)

• निगृह्य: having restrained
• निगृह्य: Kriyā (क्रिया; pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव: ‘having restrained’

• अक्षाणि: the senses
• अक्षाणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• योग-वित्: the knower of yoga
• योग-वित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: योगवित् = ‘knower of yoga’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• चित्त-अनुकारीणि: (senses) that follow the mind
• चित्त-अनुकारीणि: Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifying object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्त + अनुकारी (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from अनु-√कृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: चित्तानुकारी = ‘following the mind’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying ‘अक्षाणि’ understood)

• प्रत्याहार-परायणः: devoted to withdrawal (of senses)
• प्रत्याहार-परायणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्याहार + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: प्रत्याहारपरायण = ‘devoted to pratyāhāra’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying ‘योगवित्’)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Moksha-dharma context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

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 pratyāhāra as a core mokṣa-dharma discipline: liberation-oriented practice begins by turning the senses away from external cravings and bringing them under inner governance.

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

By restraining the senses from wandering toward objects, the practitioner preserves attention (citta) for steady remembrance and contemplation—an essential support for sustained bhakti and japa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught here; the verse emphasizes yogic psychology and disciplined sense-management as practical sādhanā within mokṣa-dharma.