Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Anadhyaya and the Winds: From Vedic Recitation Protocol to Sanatkumara’s Moksha-Upadesha

Devanagari script

अपानश्च ततो जज्ञे प्राणश्चापि ततः परम् । अनपत्योऽभवत्प्राणो दुर्द्धर्षः शत्रुमर्दनः ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

apānaśca tato jajñe prāṇaścāpi tataḥ param | anapatyo'bhavatprāṇo durddharṣaḥ śatrumardanaḥ || 15 ||

Translation

そこからアパーナ（Apāna）が生じ、さらにその後プラーナ（Prāṇa）も生まれた。プラーナは子を持たず—屈せぬ剛毅さと恐るべき威力を備え、敵を打ち砕く者であった。

Word by Word

• अपानः: Apāna
• अपानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रम (from there/then)

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• प्राणः: Prāṇa
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also’

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादान (then/from that)

• परम्: afterwards/further
• परम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् (adverbial accusative); ‘afterwards/further’

• अनपत्यः: childless
• अनपत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ (having no offspring)

• अभवत्: was/became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्राणः: Prāṇa
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुर्द्धर्षः: unassailable
• दुर्द्धर्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्द्धर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शत्रुमर्दनः: crusher of enemies
• शत्रुमर्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रु+मर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (enemy-crusher)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue instruction to Narada on Moksha-Dharma and inner physiology of prāṇa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Apana
• Prana

FAQs

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

It frames liberation-oriented teaching through inner cosmology: the vital airs (Apāna and Prāṇa) arise as fundamental forces of embodied life, and Prāṇa is portrayed as unconquerable—indicating the need to master prāṇa (through yoga/discipline) rather than be driven by it.

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

Indirectly: by highlighting the power of prāṇa, the verse supports the Moksha-Dharma theme that steadying the life-force aids mental steadiness—making the mind fit for single-pointed remembrance of the Lord (bhakti as sustained smaraṇa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Not a direct Vedāṅga lesson (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa), but a practical yogic takeaway aligned with Vedic discipline: understanding prāṇa/apāna as functional principles used in prāṇāyāma and internal regulation for spiritual practice.