Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

Anadhyaya and the Winds: From Vedic Recitation Protocol to Sanatkumara’s Moksha-Upadesha

Devanagari script

अजितं जेतुकामेन भाव्यं संगेष्वसंगिना । गुणसंगेष्वेष्वनासक्त एकचर्या रतः सदा ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

ajitaṃ jetukāmena bhāvyaṃ saṃgeṣvasaṃginā | guṇasaṃgeṣveṣvanāsakta ekacaryā rataḥ sadā || 58 ||

Translation

అజితమైన (మనస్సు)ను జయించాలని కోరువాడు సంగముల మధ్యనూ అసంగిగా ఉండాలి. గుణస్పర్శలలో అనాసక్తుడై, ఎల్లప్పుడూ ఏకచర్యలో రతుడై ఉండాలి।

Word by Word

• ajitam: the unconquered (enemy/self)
• ajitam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √ji with a-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘unconquered (one)’

• jetu-kāmena: by one wishing to conquer
• jetu-kāmena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument/agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jetu (तुमुन्-प्रातिपदिक, √ji) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘desiring to conquer’)

• bhāvyam: should be (cultivated/done)
• bhāvyam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: भव्य (gerundive/णीयत्-प्रत्ययार्थ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be’

• saṃgeṣu: in attachments/associations
• saṃgeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• asaṃginā: by the unattached
• asaṃginā: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (नञ्) + saṃgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (‘by the unattached’)

• guṇa-saṃgeṣu: in attachments to the guṇas
• guṇa-saṃgeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘in attachments to qualities’)

• eṣu: in these
• eṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun ‘in these’

• anāsaktaḥ: unattached
• anāsaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ā-sakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √sañj/√saj with negation)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; past participial adjective ‘not attached’

• eka-caryā: solitary conduct
• eka-caryā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + caryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘solitary conduct/one-way practice’)

• rataḥ: engaged; devoted
• rataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √ram)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; past participle ‘delighting/engaged’

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (काल/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that the mind—called “unconquered”—is mastered not by fleeing the world, but by cultivating asanga (non-attachment) even while surrounded by social and sensory ties, thereby transcending guṇa-driven reactions.

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

By urging freedom from guṇa-association and constant inner steadiness, it supports pure bhakti: devotion becomes stable when the practitioner is not pulled by pleasure, pain, praise, or blame, and can keep one-pointed remembrance of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is sādhana-methodology—training attention and conduct (eka-caryā, disciplined living) so that spiritual study and mantra-practice remain undisturbed by guṇa-contact.