Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

तुषकंचुकवद्देहनिमित्तं चात्मनामिह । धर्माधर्मात्मकं कर्म विचित्रफलभोगदम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

tuṣakaṃcukavaddehanimittaṃ cātmanāmiha | dharmādharmātmakaṃ karma vicitraphalabhogadam || 23 ||

Translation

ಇಲ್ಲಿ ದೇಹಧಾರಿಗಳಾದ ಆತ್ಮಗಳಿಗೆ ದೇಹನಿಮಿತ್ತವಾಗಿ ಕರ್ಮವು ತೂಷ/ಹೊಲೆಯ ಕವಚದಂತೆ ಆವರಣವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅದು ಧರ್ಮಾಧರ್ಮಸ್ವರೂಪವಾಗಿದ್ದು, ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಫಲಭೋಗವನ್ನು ನೀಡುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• तुष: husk, chaff
• तुष: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समर्थ, समासे पूर्वपद (as stem)

• कञ्चुकवत्: like a sheath/covering
• कञ्चुकवत्: क्रियाविशेषण/उपमान (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कञ्चुक (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित/अव्ययवत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial: 'like/as'), वत्-प्रत्ययान्त

• देह: body
• देह: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (as stem)

• निमित्तम्: cause/occasion (for embodiment)
• निमित्तम्: कर्ता (Predicate/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देहस्य निमित्तम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

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

• आत्मनाम्: of the selves
• आत्मनाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adverbial locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (here/in this world)

• धर्म: merit, righteousness
• धर्म: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (as stem)

• अधर्म: demerit, unrighteousness
• अधर्म: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (as stem)

• आत्मकम्: consisting of merit and demerit
• आत्मकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पूर्वपद-द्वन्द्व (धर्म+अधर्म) ततः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘धर्माधर्मात्मक’ (having the nature of both), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति विशेषण

• कर्म: action (karma)
• कर्म: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विचित्र: varied, diverse
• विचित्र: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपद (as stem)

• फल: fruit, result
• फल: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासे मध्यपद (as stem)

• भोग: enjoyment, experience
• भोग: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे मध्यपद (as stem)

• दम्: giving varied fruits and experiences
• दम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (ददाति इति, द-प्रत्यय/क-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति विशेषण; समासः: विचित्र-फल-भोग-द (giver of varied fruit-enjoyment)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames karma as an embodied condition—like an outer sheath—through which the jīva undergoes diverse experiences; recognizing this supports dispassion and the pursuit of liberation beyond karma-phala.

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

By highlighting that worldly experiences are karma-driven and varied, it implicitly encourages turning from fruit-seeking action to devotion directed to the Lord, where one seeks God rather than temporary karmic outcomes.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse supports the practical doctrine of karma-phala used in Dharma-śāstra reasoning: actions are classified as dharmic/adharmic and produce corresponding (often mixed) results that are to be understood and managed through right conduct and prescribed rites.