Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

चक्रनद्यां जपंस्तस्थौ मुहुर्तत्रयमंबुनि । अथाजगाम तत्तीरं जलं पातुं पिपासिता ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

cakranadyāṃ japaṃstasthau muhurtatrayamaṃbuni | athājagāma tattīraṃ jalaṃ pātuṃ pipāsitā || 14 ||

Translation

Di sungai Cakranadī, dia tetap terendam dalam air sambil terus melafazkan japa selama tiga muhūrta. Kemudian, dikuasai dahaga, dia datang ke tebing itu untuk meminum air.

Word by Word

• चक्रनद्याम्: in the Cakra river
• चक्रनद्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र-नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नामधेय)

• जपन्: reciting (a mantra)
• जपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) → जपन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचन पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘जपन्’ = muttering/reciting

• तस्थौ: stood; remained
• तस्थौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुहूर्त: a muhurta (time unit)
• मुहूर्त: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण; कालवाचक

• त्रयम्: three
• त्रयम्: Kala-parimana (कालपरिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• अम्बुनि: in water
• अम्बुनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• आजगाम: came
• आजगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण; सर्वनाम-विशेषण ‘that’

• तीरम्: bank; shore
• तीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• पातुम्: to drink
• पातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु) → पातुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) ‘पातुम्’ = to drink

• पिपासिता: (a female) thirsty
• पिपासिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिपासित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘पिपासिता’ = thirsty

Speaker

Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Cakranadi

FAQs

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

It highlights disciplined sādhana: sustained japa performed while immersed in a sacred river, showing purification through both mantra-practice and tirtha-associated austerity.

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

By emphasizing japa (repetition of a sacred name/mantra) done with endurance and focus; even basic bodily needs like thirst arise, yet the devotee’s practice remains central and purposeful.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Time-reckoning is implied through the use of muhūrta (a traditional unit of time), reflecting practical Jyotiṣa-style calendrical/time awareness used to structure rituals and daily sādhana.