Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

यदान्तःकरणैर्युक्तः स्वेच्छया विचरत्यसौ । स्वपन्नित्युच्यते ह्यात्मा यदा स्वापविवर्जितः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

yadāntaḥkaraṇairyuktaḥ svecchayā vicaratyasau | svapannityucyate hyātmā yadā svāpavivarjitaḥ || 16 ||

Translation

ଯେତେବେଳେ ଆତ୍ମା ମନ-ବୁଦ୍ଧି-ଅହଂକାର-ଚିତ୍ତ ରୂପ ଅନ୍ତଃକରଣମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଯୁକ୍ତ ହୋଇ ସ୍ୱେଚ୍ଛାରେ ବିଚରେ, ସେ ‘ନିତ୍ୟ-ସ୍ୱପ୍ନଶୀଳ’ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ; ନିଦ୍ରାବିହୀନ ହେଲେ ସେ ‘ସ୍ୱାପାତୀତ’ ଆତ୍ମା।

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal indeclinable: 'when')

• अन्तःकरणैः: with the inner faculties (mind etc.)
• अन्तःकरणैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समास: अन्तः + करण (inner + instrument)

• युक्तः: connected, endowed
• युक्तः: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'joined/connected'

• स्वेच्छया: by his own will
• स्वेच्छया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समास: स्व + इच्छा (one’s own will)

• विचरति: moves about, acts
• विचरति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वपन्: sleeping
• स्वपन्: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप् (धातु) → स्वपन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'sleeping'

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसम्बन्ध (quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निदर्शन-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle of emphasis/indeed)

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal indeclinable: 'when')

• स्वाप-विवर्जितः: devoid of sleep
• स्वाप-विवर्जितः: कर्तृविशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाप + विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: समास: स्वापस्य विवर्जितः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); विवर्जित = वि-वृज् (धातु) → क्त/PPP; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Atman

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the Self conditioned by the antaḥkaraṇa (which experiences dream-like movement) from the Self that is free from sleep—pointing toward liberation as recognition of consciousness beyond mental states.

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

While the verse is primarily jñāna-oriented, it supports bhakti by clarifying that devotion matures when one knows the Lord/Reality as the witness beyond mind and sleep-like delusion, rather than identifying with shifting inner states.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is yogic-psychological: observe how the antaḥkaraṇa conditions experience, and cultivate wakeful awareness beyond svāpa (sleep) and svapna (dream).