Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

योगस्वरूप-धारणा-समाधि-वर्णनम् (केशिध्वजोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

आत्मभावं नयेत्तेन तद्ब्रह्माध्यापनं मनः । विकार्यमात्मनः शक्त्या लोहमाकर्षको यथा ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

ātmabhāvaṃ nayettena tadbrahmādhyāpanaṃ manaḥ | vikāryamātmanaḥ śaktyā lohamākarṣako yathā || 6 ||

Translation

ആ ശാസനയാൽ മനസ്സിനെ ആത്മഭാവത്തിലേക്ക് നയിക്കണം; അപ്പോൾ മനസ് ബ്രഹ്മത്തിൽ സ്ഥിരമാകും. സ്വന്തം അന്തർശക്തിയാൽ അത് രൂപാന്തരപ്പെടും—കാന്തം ഇരുമ്പിനെ ആകർഷിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ।

Word by Word

• आत्मभावम्: the state of Selfhood
• आत्मभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आत्मनः भावः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नयेत्: should lead/bring
• नयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तेन: by that (means)
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here used adjectivally with ब्रह्माध्यापनम्

• ब्रह्माध्यापनम्: instruction/teaching about Brahman
• ब्रह्माध्यापनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + अध्यापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः अध्यापनम्/ब्रह्मविषयक-अध्यापनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विकार्यम्: transformable
• विकार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate/qualifier (capable of being transformed)

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• शक्त्या: by (its) power
• शक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• लोहम्: iron
• लोहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आकर्षकः: attractor (magnet)
• आकर्षकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-कृष् (धातु) + अक (प्रत्यय) → आकर्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Atman

FAQs

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

It teaches that liberation is supported by training the mind to rest in ātma-bhāva (Self-sense), which naturally culminates in brahma-niṣṭhā—steady absorption in Brahman—through inner spiritual शक्ति (śakti).

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

While framed in moksha-dharma and jñāna-yoga language, it aligns with bhakti by implying that sustained inward turning and one-pointedness make the mind ‘drawn’ to the Supreme, as iron to a magnet—devotion functioning as the attracting force that fixes the mind in the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is directly taught; the practical takeaway is yogic discipline—redirecting the mind through repeated practice (abhyāsa) toward Brahman, a core method used alongside Vedic study.