Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 90

Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga

Devanagari script

अहमेतदितीत्युञ्चैः कुरुते कुमतिर्मतिम् । आकाशवाय्वग्रिजलपृथिवीभिः पृथक् स्थिते ॥ ८८ ॥

Transliteration

ahametaditītyuñcaiḥ kurute kumatirmatim | ākāśavāyvagrijalapṛthivībhiḥ pṛthak sthite || 88 ||

Translation

ఆత్మ ఆకాశం, వాయువు, అగ్ని, జలం, భూమి వీటినుండి నిజంగా వేరుగా ఉన్నప్పటికీ, కుద్బుద్ధి గట్టిగా ‘నేనే ఇది (దేహం)’ అని భావిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• इत्य्: thus
• इत्य्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: पूर्वपद-रूप (sandhi form) of इति before vowel

• उच्चैः: aloud
• उच्चैः: Kriya-Visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb): ‘aloud/highly’

• कुरुते: does/makes
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• कुमतिः: bad understanding (deluded intellect)
• कुमतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: ‘कु-मतिः’ = bad understanding

• मतिम्: a notion/thought
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आकाशवाय्वग्निजलपृथिवीभिः: by/with ether, air, fire, water, and earth
• आकाशवाय्वग्निजलपृथिवीभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश + वायु + अग्नि + जल + पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine; governed by पृथिवी), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative): ‘by/with ether, air, fire, water, and earth’

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-Visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb): ‘separately’

• स्थिते: when situated/being situated
• स्थिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) sense: ‘when/while (it is) situated’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Akasha
• Vayu
• Agni
• Jala
• Prithivi

FAQs

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

It diagnoses bondage as a cognitive error: the deluded mind claims “I am this body,” even though the true Self is separate from the five material elements. Liberation begins with this discrimination (ātma-viveka).

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

By weakening bodily identification, the seeker’s “I” can be redirected from the perishable element-made body toward devotion to the imperishable Lord; bhakti becomes steadier when अहंकार (egoic ‘I am the body’) is reduced.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical takeaway aligns with Vyākaraṇa-style precision of meaning: the verse urges correct usage of “aham” (I) by distinguishing the true referent (Ātman) from the body’s elemental constituents—an applied discipline of definition and discrimination.