Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 94

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

भ्रममाणस्तेषु जीवः कदाचिन्मानुषं वपुः । प्राप्नोति कर्मवशतः परं सर्वार्थसाधकम् ॥ ९४ ॥

Transliteration

bhramamāṇasteṣu jīvaḥ kadācinmānuṣaṃ vapuḥ | prāpnoti karmavaśataḥ paraṃ sarvārthasādhakam || 94 ||

Translation

ആ യോനികളിൽ അലഞ്ഞുതിരിയുന്ന ജീവൻ ചിലപ്പോൾ തന്റെ കർമവശാൽ മനുഷ്യദേഹം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു—അത് പരമവും ജീവിതത്തിലെ സകല സത്യലക്ഷ്യങ്ങളും സാധിപ്പിക്കാൻ ശേഷിയുള്ളതുമാണ്।

Word by Word

• भ्रममाणः: wandering
• भ्रममाणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भ्रम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जीवः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तेषु: among those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• जीवः: the living being (jīva)
• जीवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (at some time, sometimes)

• मानुषम्: human
• मानुषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘वपुः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• वपुः: body
• वपुः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राप्नोति: attains
• प्राप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कर्म-वशतः: due to the force of karma
• कर्म-वशतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘कर्मस्य वशात्’ (under the control of karma)

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वपुः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सर्व-अर्थ-साधकम्: accomplishing all aims
• सर्व-अर्थ-साधकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘सर्वेषाम् अर्थानाम् साधकम्’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Jiva
• Karma

FAQs

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

It declares human birth as a rare, karma-earned vantage point in saṃsāra where all higher aims—especially mokṣa—can be fulfilled through right effort and dharma.

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

By highlighting human life as “sarvārtha-sādhaka,” it implies that devotion and disciplined practice are most effectively undertaken in a human body, where conscious choice and sustained sādhana are possible.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to karma (ritual and ethical action) as causative; in Book 1.3’s Vedāṅga frame, this aligns with applying dharma through śāstra-guided practice—especially kalpa (ritual procedure) and vyākaraṇa/śikṣā for correct mantra usage—so actions bear liberating results.