Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

Bharata’s Attachment and the Palanquin Teaching on ‘I’ and ‘Mine’

Devanagari script

नृणां विष्टिगृहीतानामन्येषां सोऽपि मध्यगः । गृहीतो विष्टिना विप्र सर्वज्ञानैकभाजनम् ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

nṛṇāṃ viṣṭigṛhītānāmanyeṣāṃ so'pi madhyagaḥ | gṛhīto viṣṭinā vipra sarvajñānaikabhājanam || 47 ||

Translation

വിഷ്ടി എന്ന അശുഭപ്രഭാവം പിടിച്ച മനുഷ്യരിലും മറ്റുള്ളവരിലും, നടുവിൽ നിന്നിരുന്ന ആ മുനിയും, ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണാ, വിഷ്ടിയാൽ പിടിക്കപ്പെട്ടു—സകലജ്ഞാനത്തിന്റെയും ഏകപാത്രമായവൻ.

Word by Word

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• विष्टि-गृहीतानाम्: of those seized by forced labor
• विष्टि-गृहीतानाम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + गृहीत (कृदन्त; √ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास; गृहीत = भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नृणाम्)

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• अन्येषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; (नृणाम्) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (particle; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• मध्यगः: standing in the middle
• मध्यगः: विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सः)

• गृहीतः: was seized/taken
• गृहीतः: विशेषण (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (कृदन्त; √ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (सः) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• विष्टिना: by forced labor (corvée)
• विष्टिना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सर्व-ज्ञान-एक-भाजनम्: the sole vessel/receptacle of all knowledge
• सर्व-ज्ञान-एक-भाजनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (सः) इत्यस्य कर्म/विशेष्य-रूपेण

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṭi

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the most learned can be touched by adverse forces (here, Viṣṭi), so liberation-oriented life requires vigilance, humility, and reliance on dharma rather than pride in knowledge.

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

By implying that worldly influences can overtake anyone, it nudges the seeker toward taking refuge in a higher principle—steady remembrance and surrender—so that external inauspiciousness does not shake inner devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology) is indicated through the mention of Viṣṭi (Bhadra), a karaṇa associated with inauspiciousness and used in choosing proper timings for rites and dharmic activities.