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Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 1

Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana

Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti

प्राचीनबर्हिरुवाच भगवंस्ते वचोऽस्माभिर्न सम्यगवगम्यते । कवयस्तद्विजानन्ति न वयं कर्ममोहिता: ॥ १ ॥

prācīnabarhir uvāca bhagavaṁs te vaco ’smābhir na samyag avagamyate kavayas tad vijānanti na vayaṁ karma-mohitāḥ

El rey Prācīnabarhi respondió: Oh Bhagaván, no hemos podido captar plenamente el sentido de tu relato alegórico sobre el rey Purañjana. Sólo los sabios consumados en conocimiento espiritual lo comprenden; pero nosotros, confundidos por el apego a las obras fruitivas, hallamos muy difícil realizar su propósito.

prācīnabarhiḥKing Prācīnabarhi
prācīnabarhiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootprācīnabarhis (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारय (प्राचीनं च तत् बर्हिः)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
bhagavanO venerable one
bhagavan:
Sambodhana (संबोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (संबोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)
teyour
te:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roottvad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
vacaḥspeech/statement
vacaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvacas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
asmābhiḥby us
asmābhiḥ:
Karana (करण/तृतीया)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormParticle of negation (निषेध-अव्यय)
samyakproperly
samyak:
Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsamyak (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
avagamyateis understood
avagamyate:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootava+gam (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); Passive sense (कर्मणि-प्रयोग)
kavayaḥthe sages/poets
kavayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkavi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग)
vijānantiknow/understand
vijānanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvi+jñā (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormParticle of negation (निषेध-अव्यय)
vayamwe
vayam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
karma-mohitāḥdeluded by action/karma
karma-mohitāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootkarma (प्रातिपदिक) + mohita (कृदन्त; मुह् धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त) ‘mohita’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मणा मोहिताः)

In Bhagavad-gītā (7.13) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:

P
Prācīnabarhi

FAQs

This verse states that attachment to fruitive activity (karma-moha) clouds one’s ability to understand higher spiritual instruction, whereas the wise can grasp it.

He admits his mind is conditioned by attraction to ritualistic, result-oriented action, which makes subtle spiritual teachings difficult for him to comprehend.

Notice when life becomes only goal-and-result driven; then intentionally add practices that purify motivation—like hearing sacred texts and cultivating devotion—so spiritual meaning becomes clearer.