Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

तस्माद्देहं पापमूलं पापकर्मरतं तथा । यथा देहभ्रमत्यक्त्वा मोक्षभाक्स्यात्तथा वद ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

tasmāddehaṃ pāpamūlaṃ pāpakarmarataṃ tathā | yathā dehabhramatyaktvā mokṣabhāksyāttathā vada || 6 ||

Translation

म्हणून सांगा, देहाभिमानाचा भ्रम कसा टाकावा—हा देह पापाचे मूळ व पापकर्मात रत आहे—आणि कसा मोक्षाचा भागी व्हावे.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Cause (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग (ablative used adverbially) — Ablative-form used as indeclinable ‘therefore/from that’

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पापमूलम्: having sin as its root
• पापमूलम्: Karma-predicative (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पापस्य मूलम्) used adjectivally to qualify देहम्

• पापकर्मरतम्: engaged in sinful actions
• पापकर्मरतम्: Karma-predicative (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (पापं कर्म यस्मिन्/यत्र तत्; or पापकर्मणि रतम्) used adjectivally for देहम्

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक — Indeclinable adverb (manner)

• यथा: so that, in such a way that
• यथा: Upaya/Means (उपाय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार/उपायार्थक — Indeclinable ‘so that/as’ introducing manner/means

• देहभ्रमम्: delusion about the body
• देहभ्रमम्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देहस्य भ्रमः)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala/Kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — Absolutive/gerund: ‘having abandoned’

• मोक्षभाक्: a partaker of liberation
• मोक्षभाक्: Karta-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + भज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘भाक्’ (possessor/partaker), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (मोक्षं भजते/मोक्षस्य भागी)

• स्यात्: may become
• स्यात्: Kriya/Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकार), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक — Indeclinable adverb

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya/Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperative, Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

Speaker

Narada (inquiring to Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: mumukshutva (shanta/bhakti-tinged)

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames the core Moksha inquiry: since body-identification fuels sin and bondage, liberation begins by abandoning deha-bhrama (the delusion that the body-self is ‘I’).

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

By urging freedom from body-centered identity, it prepares the practitioner for steadiness in devotion—Bhakti becomes pure when it is not driven by bodily cravings, fear, or ego.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana or Jyotisha) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical self-discipline and discernment (viveka) as prerequisites for Moksha-oriented study and practice.