Shloka 14
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
प्राकारोपवनाट्टालपरिखैरक्षतोरणै: । स्वर्णरौप्यायसै: शृङ्गै: सङ्कुलां सर्वतो गृहै: ॥ १४ ॥
prākāropavanāṭṭāla- parikhair akṣa-toraṇaiḥ svarṇa-raupyāyasaiḥ śṛṅgaiḥ saṅkulāṁ sarvato gṛhaiḥ
सा पुरी प्राकारोपवनाट्टालपरिखैरक्षतोरणैः समन्तात् परिरक्षिता; सर्वतो गृहैः सङ्कुला, स्वर्ण-रौप्य-आयस-शृङ्गैः भूषितगृहशिखरैश्च शोभिता॥
The body is protected by walls of skin. The hairs on the body are compared to parks, and the highest parts of the body, like the nose and head, are compared to towers. The wrinkles and depressions on different parts of the body are compared to trenches or canals, the eyes are compared to windows, and the eyelids are compared to protective gates. The three types of metal — gold, silver and iron — represent the three modes of material nature. Gold represents goodness; silver, passion; and iron, ignorance. The body is also sometimes considered to be a bag containing three elements ( tri-dhātu ): mucus, bile and air ( kapha, pitta and vāyu ). Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke. According to Bhāgavatam (10.84.13) , one who considers this bag of mucus, bile and air to be the self is considered no better than a cow or an ass.
FAQs
In the Purañjana narrative, the richly fortified city is an allegorical depiction of embodied life—securely arranged for sense-enjoyment, yet ultimately binding the soul through identification with material surroundings.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates the city’s opulence and defenses to highlight how the living being becomes impressed by material arrangements and thus becomes further captivated by worldly life.
It reminds a seeker to recognize that comfort, security, and impressive external arrangements can intensify attachment; one should cultivate detachment and redirect attention toward bhakti and the soul’s true welfare.