Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

Vyākaraṇa-saṅgraha: Pada–Vibhakti–Kāraka–Lakāra–Samāsa

Devanagari script

वैद्यरूपो भूतपूर्वे मतो दृष्टचरो मुने । प्राचुर्यादिष्वन्नमयो मृण्मयः स्रीमयस्तथा ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

vaidyarūpo bhūtapūrve mato dṛṣṭacaro mune | prācuryādiṣvannamayo mṛṇmayaḥ srīmayastathā || 58 ||

Translation

Ô sage, jadis on le tenait pour celui qui allait et venait sous l’apparence d’un médecin ; et, selon l’abondance d’un lieu ou d’un état, on dit qu’il est fait de nourriture, fait d’argile, et pareillement fait de prospérité.

Word by Word

• vaidya-rūpaḥ: having the form of a physician
• vaidya-rūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaidya (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vaidya-sya rūpaḥ) — adjective used predicatively

• bhūta-pūrve: formerly, in the past
• bhūta-pūrve: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; लोके अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थे—पूर्वकाले (formerly)

• mataḥ: considered, regarded
• mataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: man (धातु) → mata (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भावे—‘considered/held as’

• dṛṣṭa-caraḥ: a known spy / one whose spying is known
• dṛṣṭa-caraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त) + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः—‘दृष्टः (प्रसिद्धः) चरः’ = known spy

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• prācurya-ādiṣu: in (words denoting) abundance etc.
• prācurya-ādiṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prācurya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘prācurya-ādi’ = abundance etc.; -ādi-समासः (etc.-compound)

• anna-mayaḥ: made of food / consisting of food
• anna-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्धितार्थे ‘-maya’ = made of/consisting of

• mṛt-mayaḥ: made of clay
• mṛt-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘mṛt’ (clay) + ‘maya’ (made of)

• śrī-mayaḥ: full of splendour/wealth
• śrī-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘śrī’ (splendour/wealth) + ‘maya’ (full of/consisting of)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपसंहारार्थक (also/likewise)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; addressing a sage as 'mune')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sri (prosperity)

FAQs

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

It points to the shifting, condition-based identities of embodied life—food-body (annamaya), earth-body (mṛṇmaya), and prosperity-identity (śrīmaya)—encouraging discernment and detachment as part of Moksha Dharma.

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

By exposing material self-definitions (nourishment, possessions, fortune) as contingent, it nudges the seeker to anchor identity in the Divine rather than in abundance or wealth—supporting steadiness in Vishnu-bhakti even when external conditions change.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with Upanishadic-style analysis of the annamaya (food sheath/body) used in spiritual discernment; practically, it supports disciplined living (āhāra-niyama) and renunciation principles rather than a specific ritual or technical Vedanga procedure.