Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 103

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

बालपौगंडभेदेन युवत्वं प्रतिपद्यते । एवं क्रमेण लोकेऽस्मिन्देहिनां देहसंभवः ॥ १०३ ॥

Transliteration

bālapaugaṃḍabhedena yuvatvaṃ pratipadyate | evaṃ krameṇa loke'smindehināṃ dehasaṃbhavaḥ || 103 ||

Translation

Par les distinctions successives de l’enfance et de l’adolescence, on parvient à la jeunesse; de même, en ce monde, la venue du corps pour les êtres incarnés se fait pas à pas.

Word by Word

• बाल-पौगण्ड-भेदेन: by the differentiation into childhood and boyhood
• बाल-पौगण्ड-भेदेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + पौगण्ड + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (बालपौगण्डयोः) ततः तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः (भेदेन = by the distinction/stage-difference)

• युवत्वम्: youth
• युवत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रतिपद्यते: is attained, is reached
• प्रतिपद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी; धातुः: प्रति+पद् (प्राप्तौ/गत्यर्थे)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• क्रमेण: gradually
• क्रमेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this)

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• देह-सम्भवः: the arising of the body
• देह-सम्भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देहस्य सम्भवः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that embodiment and life-experience unfold gradually through time and stages, encouraging detachment and discernment (viveka) toward the changing body.

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

By highlighting the body’s staged, impermanent nature, it supports bhakti as reliance on the eternal Lord rather than identification with transient bodily conditions like childhood or youth.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a structured, sequential view (krama) of human development—useful for dharmic life-stage awareness (ashrama sense) and for Vedanga-style analytical description, though no specific ritual or grammar rule is directly taught in this verse.