Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

Devanagari script

तेषु भावेन तिष्टंति वियुज्यंते स्वभावतः । आकाशं वायुरूष्मा च स्नेहो यश्चापि पार्थिवः ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

teṣu bhāvena tiṣṭaṃti viyujyaṃte svabhāvataḥ | ākāśaṃ vāyurūṣmā ca sneho yaścāpi pārthivaḥ || 56 ||

Translation

ਉਹ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਪਣੇ-ਆਪਣੇ ਭਾਵ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਟਿਕੇ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਭਾਵ ਕਰਕੇ ਵੱਖ ਵੀ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ; ਆਕਾਸ਼, ਵਾਯੂ, ਉਸ਼ਮਾ, ਸਨੇਹ (ਨਮੀ) ਅਤੇ ਪਾਰਥਿਵਤਾ—ਗੁਣਾਂ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਤੇ ਲੀਨ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• तेषु: among/in them
• तेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक (m/n), सप्तमी (locative), बहुवचन (plural)

• भावेन: by (their) state/nature
• भावेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• तिष्ठन्ति: stand/remain
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), परस्मैपद

• वियुज्यन्ते: separate/disjoin
• वियुज्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive/middle sense)

• स्वभावतः: by their own nature
• स्वभावतः: Hetu/Source (हेतु/अपादानार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/according to own nature’

• आकाशम्: space/ether
• आकाशम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom/acc), एकवचन (singular); अत्र प्रथमा (as list-item subject)

• वायुः: air
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ऊष्मा: heat
• ऊष्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• स्नेहः: moisture/oiliness
• स्नेहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यः: which/that (one)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• पार्थिवः: earthy/terrestrial
• पार्थिवः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It points to discerning the body as a compound of elemental qualities that naturally combine and separate; this supports detachment (vairagya) and insight conducive to moksha.

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

By revealing the body’s elements as transient and self-separating, the verse encourages shifting reliance from material composition to steadfast refuge in the eternal Lord—strengthening single-pointed Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with the tattva-style analytical method used in Vedic instruction (notably linked with disciplined reasoning and precise terminology as in Vyakarana), helping a practitioner correctly interpret elemental terms used in ritual and philosophical passages.