Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

कामा बुद्धिरहंकारशब्दस्पर्शस्वरूपिणी । रूपरूपा रसाह्वा च गंधवित्तधृतिस्तथा ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

kāmā buddhirahaṃkāraśabdasparśasvarūpiṇī | rūparūpā rasāhvā ca gaṃdhavittadhṛtistathā || 51 ||

Translation

Elle revêt les formes du désir, de l’intellect et de l’ego ; et devient l’essence du son et du toucher. Elle prend aussi la forme de la forme visible, est appelée saveur, et devient pareillement odeur, conscience/pensée et fermeté (constance qui retient).

Word by Word

• kāmā: desire (kāmā)
• kāmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• buddhiḥ: intellect (buddhi)
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ahaṃkāra-śabda-sparśa-svarūpiṇī: having the nature of ego, sound, and touch
• ahaṃkāra-śabda-sparśa-svarūpiṇī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ahaṃkāra (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'having the nature/form of ...'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• rūpa-rūpā: form itself / of the nature of form
• rūpa-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (appositional: 'form as form'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• rasāhvā: called taste (rasa)
• rasāhvā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + āhvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'named/called rasa'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• gandha-vitti-dhṛtiḥ: smell, cognition, and steadiness
• gandha-vitti-dhṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + vitti (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative: 'smell, cognition, and steadiness'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue form)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It maps how the one inner principle manifests as both mental powers (desire, intellect, ego, cognition, steadfastness) and sensory essences (sound, touch, form, taste, smell), helping the seeker discern what is mutable and therefore to be transcended in pursuit of moksha.

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

By identifying the mind–sense complex that disperses attention, it implicitly supports bhakti-sadhana: restraining desire and ego while redirecting cognition and steadiness (dhriti) toward single-pointed remembrance and worship of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with Vedanga-style technical analysis of faculties and sense-objects used in disciplined practice—useful for mantra-application and ritual focus (śikṣā/prayoga), where control of speech-sound (śabda), attention (vitti), and steadiness (dhṛti) are essential.