Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

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

Devanagari script

वाक्च शब्दविशेषार्थमिति पंचान्वितं विदुः । एवमेकादशेतानि बुद्ध्या त्ववसृजन्मनः ॥ ७१ ॥

Transliteration

vākca śabdaviśeṣārthamiti paṃcānvitaṃ viduḥ | evamekādaśetāni buddhyā tvavasṛjanmanaḥ || 71 ||

Translation

வாக்கு ஐந்துவகை என அறியப்படுகிறது—சப்தம், அதன் சிறப்பு உச்சரிப்பு, பொருள் முதலியவற்றுடன். அதுபோல புத்தியால் மனத்தை இவ்வெழு+நான்கு எனும் பதினொன்று (இந்திரியங்கள்) இலிருந்து விலக்குக.

Word by Word

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शब्दविशेषार्थम्: the specific meaning of words
• शब्दविशेषार्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + विशेष + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शब्दस्य विशेषः अर्थः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थे (quotative/marker)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable-like numeral used substantively)

• अन्वितम्: endowed (with)
• अन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed/connected’

• विदुः: they know/declare
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-द्विगु; नपुंसकलिङ्गे ‘एतानि’ इति सह विशेषणम् (eleven)

• एतानि: these (things)
• एतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बुद्ध्या: by intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• अवसृजन्: they release/let go
• अवसृजन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) उपसर्गः अव-
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘they let go/they release’

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches inner renunciation: by using buddhi (discriminative intellect), one should retract the mind from the network of faculties that bind consciousness to external experience, supporting moksha-dharma.

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

By restraining speech and withdrawing the mind from outward-going faculties, the practitioner reduces distraction and becomes fit for single-pointed remembrance of the Lord—an essential support for steady Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly draws on śikṣā and vyākaraṇa concerns—speech as sound, articulation, and meaning—showing how refined understanding of vāk becomes a tool for mental discipline rather than mere scholarship.