Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः । बंधस्य विषयासङ्गि मुक्तेर्निर्विषयं तथा ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

mana eva manuṣyāṇāṃ kāraṇaṃ bandhamokṣayoḥ | baṃdhasya viṣayāsaṅgi mukternirviṣayaṃ tathā || 4 ||

Translation

Le mental, et lui seul, est pour l’homme la cause de l’enchaînement comme de la délivrance. Attaché aux objets des sens, il mène à la servitude; dépourvu d’objets, il est véritablement libération.

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अवधारण (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: प्रधानीय-विशेष्य/विधेय (predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate nominative

• बन्धमोक्षयोः: of bondage and liberation
• बन्धमोक्षयोः: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध-मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; बन्ध + मोक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; here Genitive dual: ‘of bondage and liberation’

• बन्धस्य: of bondage
• बन्धस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• विषयासङ्गि: attached to sense-objects
• विषयासङ्गि: विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषय-असङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक; विषय + असङ्गिन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective/predicate to ‘मनः’ (understood): ‘(mind) attached to objects’

• मुक्तेः: of liberation
• मुक्तेः: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• निर्विषयम्: free from sense-objects
• निर्विषयम्: विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-विषय (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + विषय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective/predicate to ‘मनः’ (understood): ‘(mind) free from objects’

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चयार्थ (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: thus/likewise)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It identifies the mind as the decisive instrument: attachment to sense-objects produces bondage, while object-free detachment becomes the direct condition for liberation.

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

By turning the mind away from worldly objects, the verse supports single-pointed absorption; in Bhakti terms, the mind becomes steady when it relinquishes competing desires and rests in the Lord alone.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is inner discipline—cultivating vairāgya and mental restraint as a core sādhanā for moksha.