Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

प्रेक्षणीयं ममत्वेन न च पश्यति चक्षुषा । न घ्राणग्राह्यं देवेश न पातव्यं न चेतरत् ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

prekṣaṇīyaṃ mamatvena na ca paśyati cakṣuṣā | na ghrāṇagrāhyaṃ deveśa na pātavyaṃ na cetarat || 87 ||

Translation

Это кажется «видимым» лишь через чувство присвоения — «моё», но глазами поистине не видится. О Владыка богов, это не постигается обонянием; это не то, что следует пить, — и не какой-либо иной предмет чувств.

Word by Word

• prekṣaṇīyam: to be looked at / fit to be seen
• prekṣaṇīyam: Karma (कर्म; predicative object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prekṣaṇīya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √īkṣ/prekṣ प्रेक्ष्)
• Form: Gerundive (अनीयर्/णीयत्-अर्थ), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mamatvena: with possessiveness
• mamatvena: Karana (करण; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mamatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial: 'with the sense of mine-ness'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• cakṣuṣā: with the eye
• cakṣuṣā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• ghrāṇa-grāhyam: perceivable by smell
• ghrāṇa-grāhyam: Karma (कर्म; predicative object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + grāhya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √grah ग्रह्)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'ghrāṇena grāhyam'

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• pātavyam: to be drunk
• pātavyam: Karma (कर्म; predicative object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātavya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √pā पा)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्-अर्थ), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• itarat: anything else
• itarat: Karma (कर्म; predicative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'anything else'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressing the Supreme as Devesha)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devesha (Lord of the gods)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Reality cannot be reduced to a sensory object; what appears ‘knowable’ is often only the mind’s projection through mamatva (possessive identification), which must be transcended for liberation.

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

By denying sensory grasping, it redirects the seeker from externalized experience to inner surrender—Bhakti as reverent turning of the heart toward Devesha, beyond mere sight, smell, or taste.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It underscores epistemic discipline central to Vedanga-style inquiry: distinguishing pratyakṣa (sense perception) from higher knowing, and recognizing how mental constructs like mamatva distort cognition.