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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

गोभ्यो वृत्तिं समास्थाय पीताः कृष्युपजीविनः । स्वधर्म्मन्नानुतिष्टंति ते द्विजा वैश्यतां गताः ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

gobhyo vṛttiṃ samāsthāya pītāḥ kṛṣyupajīvinaḥ | svadharmmannānutiṣṭaṃti te dvijā vaiśyatāṃ gatāḥ || 58 ||

Translation

Ceux qui, parmi les deux-fois-nés, tirent leur subsistance du bétail et vivent de l’agriculture, mais n’accomplissent pas leur devoir prescrit, sont dits déchus au rang de Vaiśya.

Word by Word
गोभ्यःfrom cows (i.e., by means of cattle)
गोभ्यः:
अपादान (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th) बहुवचन (Plural)
वृत्तिम्livelihood
वृत्तिम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
समास्थायhaving adopted/resorted to
समास्थाय:
पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-स्था (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund, -त्वा/य): ‘having resorted to’; अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)
पीताःdrunk (given to drinking)
पीताः:
विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपा (धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (Past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
कृषिagriculture
कृषि:
समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
TypeNoun
Rootकृषि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासाङ्ग (compound member)
उपजीविनःthose who live by (a means)
उपजीविनः:
विशेषणार्थ-नाम (Predicative descriptor)
TypeNoun
Rootउपजीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
कृष्युपजीविनःthose who subsist on farming
कृष्युपजीविनः:
विशेषणार्थ-नाम (Predicative descriptor)
TypeNoun
Rootकृषि + उपजीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: ‘living by agriculture’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
स्वधर्मम्their own duty
स्वधर्मम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative: ‘one’s own dharma’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
नnot
न:
निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (Negation particle)
अनुतिष्ठन्तिthey perform/follow
अनुतिष्ठन्ति:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअनु-स्था (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद
तेthey
ते:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
द्विजाःtwice-born
द्विजाः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
वैश्यताम्Vaishya-hood
वैश्यताम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
गताःhave become
गताः:
क्रिया (Result state/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (Past participle, क्त) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instructing Narada on dharma and conduct)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

It stresses that inner integrity (svadharma) matters more than mere social label: when the twice-born abandon their ordained duties and take up other livelihoods, their spiritual and social standing is described as diminished.

Indirectly, it sets a foundation for bhakti by emphasizing disciplined conduct; devotion in the Narada Purana is supported by living one’s dharma sincerely rather than using religious identity while neglecting duty.

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-based application of Vedic social ethics (ācāra and svadharma); while not a technical Vedāṅga lesson like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa, it applies Vedic normative principles to livelihood and conduct.

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