Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 2
Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana
Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti
नारद उवाच पुरुषं पुरञ्जनं विद्याद्यद् व्यनक्त्यात्मन: पुरम् । एकद्वित्रिचतुष्पादं बहुपादमपादकम् ॥ २ ॥
nārada uvāca puruṣaṁ purañjanaṁ vidyād yad vyanakty ātmanaḥ puram eka-dvi-tri-catuṣ-pādaṁ bahu-pādam apādakam
നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു— ‘പുരഞ്ജനൻ’ എന്നു പറയുന്നത് ജീവാത്മാവിനെയാണ്; അവൻ തന്റെ കർമ്മാനുസാരം ദേഹമെന്ന നഗരത്തെ സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നു. ഒരുകാൽ, രണ്ടുകാൽ, മൂന്നുകാൽ, നാലുകാൽ, പലകാൽ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ കാലില്ലാത്ത ദേഹങ്ങളിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ച് സംസാരത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നു; ഭോക്താവെന്ന ഭാവത്താൽ അവൻ ‘പുരഞ്ജനൻ’ എന്നറിയപ്പെടുന്നു.
How the spirit soul transmigrates from one type of body to another is nicely described here. The word eka-pāda, “one-legged,” refers to ghosts, for it is said that ghosts walk on one leg. The word dvi-pāda, meaning “biped,” refers to human beings. When he is old and invalid, the human being is supposed to be a triped, or three-legged, because he walks with the help of a stick or some kind of cane. Of course, the word catuṣ-pāda refers to quadrupeds, or animals. The word bahu-pāda refers to those creatures who have more than four legs. There are many insects, such as the centipede, and also many aquatic animals that have many legs. The word apādaka, meaning “without legs,” refers to serpents. The name Purañjana indicates one who enjoys possessing different types of bodies. His mentality for enjoyment in the material world is accommodated by different types of bodies.
FAQs
Puranjana means “the one who enters the city”—an allegorical name for the jīva (living being) who resides in and identifies with the body, described as a ‘city’ (pura).
To indicate the soul’s embodiment in many species and forms—birds, humans, beasts, insects, serpents, aquatic beings, etc.—showing that the same jīva can inhabit varied bodily ‘cities’ through karma and time.
By remembering “I am not the body; I am the soul,” one reduces anxiety and ego-based identity, and redirects life toward bhakti—devotional service that frees one from repeated identification with temporary bodies.