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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline

तस्मिन्पंचत्वमापन्ने जीवः किमनुधावति । किं खेदयति वा जीवः किं श्रृणोति ब्रवीति च ॥ १० ॥

tasminpaṃcatvamāpanne jīvaḥ kimanudhāvati | kiṃ khedayati vā jīvaḥ kiṃ śrṛṇoti bravīti ca || 10 ||

Lorsque ce corps est parvenu à l’état des cinq éléments—c’est-à-dire lorsque la mort est survenue—que peut donc poursuivre le jīva ? De quoi le jīva pourrait-il s’attrister ? Qu’entend le jīva, et que peut-il encore dire ?

तस्मिन्in that (state/time)
तस्मिन्:
अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे समानरूपम्, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular)
पञ्चत्वम्the state of being five (death; dissolution into five elements)
पञ्चत्वम्:
कर्म (कर्म/Accusative complement)
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्चत्व (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + त्व)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)
आपन्नेhaving reached/attained
आपन्ने:
विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootआपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √आपद् (धातु) + क्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (agreeing with तस्मिन्)
जीवःthe living being (soul)
जीवः:
कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)
किम्what
किम्:
कर्म (कर्म/what as object)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)
अनुधावतिruns after/pursues
अनुधावति:
क्रिया (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√धाव् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद
किम्what
किम्:
कर्म (कर्म/what as object)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
खेदयतिafflicts/causes sorrow to
खेदयति:
क्रिया (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√खिद् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)
वाor
वा:
सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle of alternative: 'or')
जीवःthe living being
जीवः:
कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
किम्what
किम्:
कर्म (कर्म/what as object)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
शृणोतिhears
शृणोति:
क्रिया (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√श्रु (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद
ब्रवीतिspeaks
ब्रवीति:
क्रिया (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√ब्रू (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद
and
:
सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha Dharma dialogue)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

It redirects attention from the perishing body to the witnessing self: when the body dissolves into the five elements, ordinary pursuits, grief, and sensory functions lose their basis—encouraging vairāgya and inquiry into the ātman.

By exposing the helplessness of bodily identity at death, it supports single-pointed refuge in the imperishable Lord; bhakti becomes steadier when one understands that worldly attachments cannot accompany the jīva.

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharmic viveka—using correct discernment (body vs. self) to guide conduct, vows, and worship with a liberation-oriented aim.