Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

शिबिकादारुसंघातो स्वनामस्थितिसंस्थितः । अन्विष्यतां नृपश्रेष्टानन्ददाशिबिका त्वया ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

śibikādārusaṃghāto svanāmasthitisaṃsthitaḥ | anviṣyatāṃ nṛpaśreṣṭānandadāśibikā tvayā || 86 ||

Translation

ഈ ശിബിക (പല്ലക്ക്) മരക്കഷണങ്ങളുടെ കൂട്ടം മാത്രമാണ്, ‘ശിബിക’ എന്ന പേരിനായി ക്രമപ്പെടുത്തിയതു; ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, നീ ഇതിനെ പരിശോധിക്ക—വിവേകം ഉണർത്തി ബോധവും ആനന്ദവും നൽകും।

Word by Word

• शिबिका: palanquin
• शिबिका: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• दारु: wood
• दारु: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• संघातः: a collection/aggregation
• संघातः: कर्ता (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (with previous words forms compound sense)

• स्व-नाम-स्थिति-संस्थितः: established in its own name/usage
• स्व-नाम-स्थिति-संस्थितः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; सम् + √स्था + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'स्वनाम्नि स्थितौ संस्थितः' = 'established in its own name/usage' (qualifies संघातः)

• अन्विष्यताम्: let it be investigated/sought
• अन्विष्यताम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + √इष्/√एष् (धातु; 'to seek')
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आज्ञार्थ: 'let (it) be sought/one should seek'

• नृप-श्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• नृप-श्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'नृपाणां श्रेष्ठ'

• आनन्द-दा: joy-giving
• आनन्द-दा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा 'to give')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'आनन्दं ददाति' (giver of joy), विशेषणम् शिबिका

• शिबिका: the palanquin
• शिबिका: कर्ता (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: करण/कर्तृ (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-हेतु (by you)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching a king in a Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumara
• King (nṛpaśreṣṭha)

FAQs

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

It teaches viveka (discernment): what we call a “thing” often reduces, upon inquiry, to parts and a name—helping the seeker loosen attachment to appearances and move toward moksha.

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

By weakening clinging to nāma-rūpa (mere labels and forms), the mind becomes steadier and purer; such clarity supports single-pointed devotion, where love is placed in the timeless Reality (often realized through Vishnu-bhakti) rather than transient constructions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implicitly uses nirukta-like attention to naming and designation (how meaning is assigned by words), encouraging analytical inquiry into terms and conventions—useful for scriptural study and correct understanding of teachings.