Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

Devanagari script

आसुरेः प्रथमं शिष्यं यमाहुश्चिरजीविनम् । पंचस्रोतसि यः सत्रमास्ते वर्षसहस्रकम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

āsureḥ prathamaṃ śiṣyaṃ yamāhuścirajīvinam | paṃcasrotasi yaḥ satramāste varṣasahasrakam || 12 ||

Translation

उसे आसुरि का प्रथम शिष्य और दीर्घजीवी कहते हैं—जो पंचस्रोतस में सहस्र वर्षों तक सत्र-यज्ञ में स्थित रहता है।

Word by Word

• आसुरेः: of Āsuri
• आसुरेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसुरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular (qualifying ‘शिष्यम्’)

• शिष्यम्: disciple
• शिष्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• यम्: whom
• यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, Accusative singular

• आहुः: they call
• आहुः: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; 3rd person plural

• चिरजीविनम्: long-lived
• चिरजीविनम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular (qualifying the disciple)

• पञ्चस्रोतसि: at/in the five-stream (confluence/place)
• पञ्चस्रोतसि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, Nominative singular

• सत्रम्: sacrificial session (sattra)
• सत्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• आस्ते: sits / remains / stays
• आस्ते: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular, Ātmanepada

• वर्षसहस्रकम्: a thousand years (duration)
• वर्षसहस्रकम्: कालाधिकरण/परिमाण (Temporal measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + सहस्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of years’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular (duration as object/measure)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; verse presented as narrative testimony)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Āsuri
• Pañcasrotas

FAQs

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

It highlights the ideal of unwavering discipline: sustained yajña (satra) and tapas over immense time, presented as a mark of extraordinary longevity and spiritual power within a recognized guru-śiṣya lineage.

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

While the verse speaks in the idiom of yajña, its implied teaching supports bhakti’s core principle—steady, lifelong (indeed, “thousand-year”) dedication to sacred practice, undertaken with faith and continuity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to Śrauta ritual expertise: conducting a satra requires precise application of Kalpa (ritual procedure) along with correct mantra usage and timing, indicating disciplined Vedic sacrificial science.