Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

Bharata’s Attachment and the Palanquin Teaching on ‘I’ and ‘Mine’

Devanagari script

शिबिकादारुसंघातो स्वनामस्थितिसंस्थितः । अन्विष्यतां नृपश्रेष्टानन्ददाशिबिका त्वया ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

śibikādārusaṃghāto svanāmasthitisaṃsthitaḥ | anviṣyatāṃ nṛpaśreṣṭānandadāśibikā tvayā || 86 ||

Translation

Esta litera no es más que un conjunto de piezas de madera, dispuesto sólo para sostener el nombre de «litera». Oh el mejor de los reyes, examínala tú, buscando su realidad, y hallarás que otorga comprensión y gozo mediante el recto discernimiento.

Word by Word

• शिबिका: palanquin
• शिबिका: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• दारु: wood
• दारु: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• संघातः: a collection/aggregation
• संघातः: कर्ता (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (with previous words forms compound sense)

• स्व-नाम-स्थिति-संस्थितः: established in its own name/usage
• स्व-नाम-स्थिति-संस्थितः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; सम् + √स्था + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'स्वनाम्नि स्थितौ संस्थितः' = 'established in its own name/usage' (qualifies संघातः)

• अन्विष्यताम्: let it be investigated/sought
• अन्विष्यताम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + √इष्/√एष् (धातु; 'to seek')
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आज्ञार्थ: 'let (it) be sought/one should seek'

• नृप-श्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• नृप-श्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'नृपाणां श्रेष्ठ'

• आनन्द-दा: joy-giving
• आनन्द-दा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा 'to give')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'आनन्दं ददाति' (giver of joy), विशेषणम् शिबिका

• शिबिका: the palanquin
• शिबिका: कर्ता (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: करण/कर्तृ (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-हेतु (by you)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching a king in a Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• King (nṛpaśreṣṭha)

FAQs

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

It teaches viveka (discernment): what we call a “thing” often reduces, upon inquiry, to parts and a name—helping the seeker loosen attachment to appearances and move toward moksha.

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

By weakening clinging to nāma-rūpa (mere labels and forms), the mind becomes steadier and purer; such clarity supports single-pointed devotion, where love is placed in the timeless Reality (often realized through Vishnu-bhakti) rather than transient constructions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implicitly uses nirukta-like attention to naming and designation (how meaning is assigned by words), encouraging analytical inquiry into terms and conventions—useful for scriptural study and correct understanding of teachings.