Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Saṃsāra-duḥkha: Karmic Descent, Garbhavāsa, Life’s Anxieties, Death, and the Call to Jñāna-Bhakti

Devanagari script

दुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म प्रार्थ्यते त्रिदशैरपि । तल्लब्ध्वा परलोकार्थं यत्नं कुर्य्याद्विचक्षणः ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

durlabhaṃ mānuṣaṃ janma prārthyate tridaśairapi | tallabdhvā paralokārthaṃ yatnaṃ kuryyādvicakṣaṇaḥ || 48 ||

Translation

Human birth is hard to obtain—desired even by the gods. Having gained it, the discerning should strive earnestly for the goal of the hereafter, for the highest good.

Word by Word

• दुर्लभम्: rare, hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: कर्ता-सम्बन्ध (predicate/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जन्म)

• मानुषम्: human
• मानुषम्: कर्ता-सम्बन्ध (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जन्म)

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रार्थ्यते: is prayed for/sought
• प्रार्थ्यते: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• त्रिदशैः: by the gods (thirty)
• त्रिदशैः: कर्ता (कर्तृ-करण/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even/also)

• तत्: that (human birth)
• तत्: कर्म (कर्म/Accusative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मपदम् (लब्ध्वा इति)

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु) → लब्ध्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव (gerund); क्त्वान्त; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• परलोकार्थम्: for the sake of the next world
• परलोकार्थम्: प्रयोजन (प्रयोजनम्/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परलोक + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (परलोकस्य अर्थः/हितम्)

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: कर्म (कर्म/Accusative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• विचक्षणः: a discerning person
• विचक्षणः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Upadesha-style dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Tridasha (Devas)

FAQs

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

It declares human birth as a rare opportunity—even coveted by the devas—and urges the wise to use it for the highest spiritual aim (paraloka-artha), not merely for worldly pursuits.

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

By emphasizing purposeful effort for the highest end, it supports bhakti-sadhana as the most meaningful use of human life—steady practice aimed at attaining the Lord and the supreme good beyond death.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is sadhana-priority—disciplined effort and wise discrimination (vicakṣaṇatā) in choosing actions that lead to moksha.