Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga

Devanagari script

आप्यायते यदि ततः पुंसो गर्वोऽत्र किंकृतः । अनेकजन्मसाहस्त्रं ससारपदवीं व्रजन् ॥ ९४ ॥

Transliteration

āpyāyate yadi tataḥ puṃso garvo'tra kiṃkṛtaḥ | anekajanmasāhastraṃ sasārapadavīṃ vrajan || 94 ||

Translation

Même si un homme devient prospère, quelle raison y a-t-il de s’enorgueillir? Car il a erré sur la route du saṃsāra au fil de milliers de naissances.

Word by Word

• आप्यायते: swells/prospers
• आप्यायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्याय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तवाचक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• ततः: thereupon/from that
• ततः: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-प्रभव)
• Form: तस्मात्-प्रभवम्; हेत्वर्थ/अपादानार्थ-अव्यय (from that/thereupon)

• पुंसः: of a man
• पुंसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• गर्वः: pride
• गर्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• किम्-कृतः: what is it made of?/what is the basis?
• किम्-कृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् + कृ (धातु) (कृत-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्तः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); गर्व-विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (किम् कृतः = what-made?)

• अनेक-जन्म-साहस्रम्: a thousand (spanning) many births
• अनेक-जन्म-साहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक + जन्मन् + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); (काल/परिमाणवाचकं) समासः तत्पुरुषः (अनेकानि जन्मानि = तेषां साहस्रम्)

• ससार-पदवीम्: the path/track of transmigration
• ससार-पदवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + पदवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); समासः तत्पुरुषः (संसारस्य पदवी)

• व्रजन्: going/traversing
• व्रजन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); (पुंसः/जीवस्य) विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)

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 dismantles garva (ego) by reminding the seeker that worldly gain is temporary, while the jīva has already wandered through countless births—thus humility and vairāgya are essential for mokṣa.

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

Bhakti matures through humility; by rejecting pride born of prosperity, the devotee becomes fit for sincere surrender and steady remembrance of the Lord rather than self-glorification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline—checking garva as part of sādhana within Moksha-Dharma.