Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Śokanivāraṇa: Non-brooding, Impermanence, Contentment, and Śuka’s Renunciation

Devanagari script

उपद्रव इवानिष्टो योनिं गर्भः प्रपद्यते । तानि पूर्वशरीराणि नित्यमेकं शरीरिणम् ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

upadrava ivāniṣṭo yoniṃ garbhaḥ prapadyate | tāni pūrvaśarīrāṇi nityamekaṃ śarīriṇam || 48 ||

Translation

Tel un malheur indésirable, l’embryon entre dans le sein; pourtant l’unique Soi incarné demeure à jamais le même, tandis que ces corps ne sont que des corps antérieurs, abandonnés.

Word by Word

• उपद्रवः: a calamity, affliction
• उपद्रवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• अनिष्टः: undesired, unwelcome
• अनिष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of garbhaḥ)

• योनिम्: womb, source
• योनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गर्भः: embryo, fetus
• गर्भः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रपद्यते: enters/attains
• प्रपद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to ‘bodies’)

• पूर्व-शरीराणि: former bodies
• पूर्व-शरीराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘former bodies’)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of śarīriṇam)

• शरीरिणम्: the embodied being
• शरीरिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes vairāgya (dispassion) by portraying birth as a distressing condition, while affirming that the true embodied self remains one and continuous even as bodies change.

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

By highlighting the misery and repetitiveness of saṃsāra, it implicitly urges the seeker to take refuge in the Lord and pursue liberating devotion rather than identifying with transient bodies.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is philosophical discernment (viveka) between the enduring śarīrin (self) and the changing śarīra (body), supporting mokṣa-oriented practice.