Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

Hanūmaccarita

The Account of Hanumān

Devanagari script

अज्ञानसंयुतं भूतं समलं कर्मसंगतः । तं देहमाकाशदीपे प्रदहेज्ज्ञानवह्निना ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

ajñānasaṃyutaṃ bhūtaṃ samalaṃ karmasaṃgataḥ | taṃ dehamākāśadīpe pradahejjñānavahninā || 37 ||

Translation

The embodied being, bound up with ignorance, stained and entangled with karma—let that body be burned, as it were, in the lamp of inner space, by the fire of knowledge.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानसंयुतम्: associated with ignorance
• अज्ञानसंयुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; √युज्-सम् as past participle base)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ: अज्ञानेन संयुतम् (joined with ignorance), विशेषण (of भूतम्)

• भूतम्: the element/being
• भूतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समलम्: impure/tainted
• समलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of भूतम्)

• कर्मसंगतः: associated with karma
• कर्मसंगतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म + संगत (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् with सम् as PPP base संगत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ: कर्मणा संगतः (associated with karma), विशेषण (of implied साधकः/योगी etc.)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (referring to भूतम्/देहम्)

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आकाशदीपे: in the ether-lamp (space as lamp)
• आकाशदीपे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश + दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: आकाशस्य दीपे (in the lamp of ether / in the ether-lamp)

• प्रदहेत्: one should burn
• प्रदहेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: दह् (to burn), उपसर्ग: प्र

• ज्ञानवह्निना: with the fire of knowledge
• ज्ञानवह्निना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ज्ञानस्य वह्निना (with the fire of knowledge)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that bondage is rooted in ignorance and karmic entanglement, and that liberation is attained by “burning” these impurities through direct knowledge (jñāna) cultivated in inner contemplation.

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

While the verse is framed in jñāna language, it supports bhakti by implying that true devotion culminates in inner purification—where knowledge of the Lord/Self dissolves ignorance and karmic stains, making devotion steady and liberated.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Rather than a ritual Vedāṅga procedure, the verse emphasizes the practical discipline of inner contemplation (yogic/vedāntic focus on ākāśa or heart-space) as the means to neutralize karmic conditioning through jñāna.