Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 119

Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline

Devanagari script

उंछवृत्तिर्गृहस्थो यः स्वधर्म चरणे रतः । त्यक्तकामसुखारंभः स्वर्गस्तस्य न दुर्लभः ॥ ११९ ॥

Transliteration

uṃchavṛttirgṛhastho yaḥ svadharma caraṇe rataḥ | tyaktakāmasukhāraṃbhaḥ svargastasya na durlabhaḥ || 119 ||

Translation

ഉഞ്ചവൃത്തിയാൽ ജീവിച്ച്, സ്വധർമ്മാചരണത്തിൽ നിരതനായി, കാമസുഖത്തിനായുള്ള ആരംഭങ്ങൾ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച ഗൃഹസ്ഥന് സ്വർഗ്ഗം ദുർലഭമല്ല.

Word by Word

• उंछ-वृत्तिः: one whose livelihood is gleaning (uñcha)
• उंछ-वृत्तिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उंछ + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक; components: उंछ + वृत्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृहस्थः: a householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्व-धर्म: of his own duty
• स्व-धर्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक; components: स्व + धर्म)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular) (सम्बन्धे: ‘of one’s own’)

• चरणे: in the practice/performance
• चरणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• रतः: devoted/engaged
• रतः: Vidhaya/Predicate (विधेय/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle in adjectival sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्यक्त-काम-सुख-आरंभः: having abandoned the undertaking of sensual pleasures
• त्यक्त-काम-सुख-आरंभः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यक्त (कृदन्त; √त्यज्) + काम + सुख + आरंभ (प्रातिपदिक; components listed)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) used in compound; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: for him/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation/not)

• दुर्लभः: difficult to obtain
• दुर्लभः: Vidhaya/Predicate (विधेय/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that spiritual merit is accessible even to householders when they adopt a restrained livelihood (uñcha-vṛtti), remain faithful to svadharma, and abandon pleasure-driven pursuits; such discipline makes higher attainments like svarga readily reachable.

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

By emphasizing steady adherence to svadharma with renunciation of kāma-based enjoyments, it supports a sattvic life that stabilizes the mind—an essential foundation for sustained devotion and worship-oriented living, even within household life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a technical Vedanga passage, it practically applies Dharmaśāstra principles: regulated livelihood and ethical restraint (niyama, yama-like conduct) as the operational method for a gṛhastha pursuing spiritual progress.