Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Manvantaras and Indras; Sudharmā’s Liberation through Viṣṇu-Pradakṣiṇā; Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti

Devanagari script

मयि कंठगतप्राणे भषणो मांसलोलुपः । जग्राह मां स्ववक्रेण श्वभिरन्यैश्चरन्द्रुतः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

mayi kaṃṭhagataprāṇe bhaṣaṇo māṃsalolupaḥ | jagrāha māṃ svavakreṇa śvabhiranyaiścarandrutaḥ || 44 ||

Translation

私の命の息が喉元まで上がった時、肉に飢えたバシャナがその顎で私を捕らえ、他の犬たちも私に襲いかかりました。

Word by Word

• मयि: in me / when I
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कण्ठ: throat
• कण्ठ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)

• गत: having reached
• गत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘gone/reached’; प्रातिपदिकरूपेण समासे

• प्राणे: in (my) life-breath
• प्राणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भषणः: Bhaṣaṇa (name/one called Bhaṣaṇa)
• भषणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पाठ: ‘भषणो’—सम्भवतः ‘भषणः’/‘भस्मनः’ इत्यादि; here taken as a proper/common noun)

• मांस: meat
• मांस: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)

• लोलुपः: greedy
• लोलुपः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जग्राह: seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्व: own
• स्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक (reflexive ‘own’, stem used in compound)

• वक्रेण: with (his) beak/mouth
• वक्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; here ‘mouth/beak’ sense

• श्वभिः: by dogs
• श्वभिः: Karana/Sahakari (करण/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• अरन्: (unclear segment)
• अरन्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पाठदोष/संदिग्ध: ‘चरन्द्रुतः’ मध्ये ‘अरन्’ स्पष्टं न; सम्भाव्यः पाठः ‘चरन् द्रुतः’ (moving swiftly)

• द्रुतः: swift
• द्रुतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; (if read with चरन्: ‘swiftly moving’)

Speaker

Narada (narrating an episode to the Sanatkumara brothers in the Purva-bhaga dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Bhaṣaṇa
• Śva (dogs)

FAQs

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

It portrays the terror and helplessness that arise from pāpa-driven violence and greed, emphasizing that adharmic impulses lead to painful consequences and fear at the edge of death.

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

By contrasting brutal, flesh-driven instinct with the soul’s vulnerability, it implicitly urges refuge in sattva and devotion—turning away from हिंसा (violence) and toward remembrance of Hari as protection in संकट (crisis).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; it functions primarily as a dharma-narrative illustrating pāpa-phala (results of sin) and the urgency of ethical restraint.