Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 115

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

भौमं वीरासनं चैव योगसाधनकारणम् । त्रिंशत्संख्यान्यासनानि मुनीन्द्रैः कथितानि वै ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

bhaumaṃ vīrāsanaṃ caiva yogasādhanakāraṇam | triṃśatsaṃkhyānyāsanāni munīndraiḥ kathitāni vai || 15 ||

Translation

ភೌម-អាសន និង វីរ-អាសន ផងដែរ ជាមធ្យោបាយបង្កើតការសម្រេចក្នុងយោគសាធនា។ ពិតប្រាកដណាស់ អាសន ៣០ ប្រភេទ ត្រូវបានមុនីឥន្ទ្រ បង្រៀន។

Word by Word

• भौमम्: (āsana named) Bhauma
• भौमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वीरासनम्: (āsana named) Vīrāsana
• वीरासनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• योगसाधनकारणम्: cause/means for accomplishing yoga
• योगसाधनकारणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (योगस्य साधनस्य कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; (अत्र) नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचन-विशेषणार्थे 'त्रिंशत्' (indeclinable-like numeral usage)

• संख्यानि: in number / numbered
• संख्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (counted/numbered)

• आसनानि: postures (āsanas)
• आसनानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मुनीन्द्रैः: by the best of sages
• मुनीन्द्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुनीनां इन्द्राः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कथितानि: declared/taught
• कथितानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'said/declared'

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय/पादपूरण (particle)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Narada Purana dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Munis (sages)

FAQs

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

It frames specific āsanas (Bhauma and Vīrāsana) as supportive instruments for yoga-sādhana and anchors the teaching in an authoritative tradition—thirty postures transmitted by great sages.

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

While the verse is primarily yogic, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing disciplined bodily steadiness (āsana) as preparation for sustained japa, dhyāna, and remembrance of the Lord—common devotional practices in Purāṇic sādhanā.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It most closely aligns with practical śāstraic discipline rather than a single Vedāṅga; the takeaway is procedural sādhanā-vidhi—using prescribed postures as an applied method to stabilize the body for mantra and meditation.