Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

रूपकूलां मनः स्रोतां स्पर्शद्वीपां रसावहाम् । गंधपंकां शब्दजलां स्वर्गमार्गदुरारुहाम् ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

rūpakūlāṃ manaḥ srotāṃ sparśadvīpāṃ rasāvahām | gaṃdhapaṃkāṃ śabdajalāṃ svargamārgadurāruhām || 74 ||

Translation

The mind’s current is a stream whose banks are form; it bears islands of touch and carries taste along. It is the mire of smell and the water of sound—thus the path to heaven is hard to climb.

Word by Word

• रूप-कूलाम्: having form as its bank/shore
• रूप-कूलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (रूपं कूलं यस्याः)

• मनः-स्रोताम्: having mind as its current/stream
• मनः-स्रोताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्रोतस्/स्रोत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मनः एव स्रोतः/स्रोतस्)

• स्पर्श-द्वीपाम्: having touch as its island
• स्पर्श-द्वीपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्पर्शः द्वीपः यस्याः)

• रस-आवहाम्: bringing/carrying taste
• रस-आवहाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (रसान् आवहति इति)

• गन्ध-पङ्काम्: having smell as its mire/mud
• गन्ध-पङ्काम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गन्धः पङ्कः यस्याः)

• शब्द-जलाम्: having sound as its water
• शब्द-जलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शब्दः जलं यस्याः)

• स्वर्ग-मार्ग-दुरारुहाम्: hard to ascend on the path to heaven
• स्वर्ग-मार्ग-दुरारुहाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + दुरारुह (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्वर्गस्य मार्गः; तस्मिन् दुरारुहा)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Svarga

FAQs

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

It portrays the mind as a powerful sense-driven current—fed by form, touch, taste, smell, and sound—showing why spiritual ascent requires mastery over sensory fascination rather than merely pursuing pleasant experiences.

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

By highlighting how the senses pull the mind outward, it implies that bhakti must be supported by restraint and single-pointed remembrance; otherwise the devotee is swept away by sense-objects even while aiming for higher states like Svarga.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is yogic discipline aligned with Dharma—guarding the sense-gates (indriya-nigraha) so the mind does not become entangled in śabda (sound) and other sensory currents.