Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

अनर्थे वार्थसंज्ञस्त्वं किमर्थं नावबुध्यसे । संवेष्ट्यमानं बहुभिर्मोहतंतुभिरात्मजैः ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

anarthe vārthasaṃjñastvaṃ kimarthaṃ nāvabudhyase | saṃveṣṭyamānaṃ bahubhirmohataṃtubhirātmajaiḥ || 63 ||

Translation

అనర్థాన్నే నీవు అర్థమని (లాభమని) భావిస్తున్నావు—ఎందుకు గ్రహించవు? నీలోనుంచి పుట్టిన అనేక మోహతంతువులు నిన్ను బిగిగా చుట్టేస్తున్నాయి।

Word by Word

• अनर्थे: in what is worthless/harmful
• अनर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• अर्थ-संज्ञः: calling it meaningful/profitable
• अर्थ-संज्ञः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अर्थ इति संज्ञा यस्य)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किमर्थम्: why
• किमर्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: ‘for what reason/why?’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अवबुध्यसे: do you understand
• अवबुध्यसे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• संवेष्ट्यमानम्: being wrapped/encircled
• संवेष्ट्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+वेष्ट् (धातु) → वेष्ट्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘(त्वम्) … पश्यसि/अवबुध्यसे’ इत्यर्थे कर्मरूपेण

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘तन्तुभिः’

• मोह-तन्तुभिः: by the threads of delusion
• मोह-तन्तुभिः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह + तन्तु (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मोहस्य तन्तवः)

• आत्मजैः: self-born/one’s own
• आत्मजैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘तन्तुभिः’ (born of oneself/one’s own)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (one of the Sanaka brothers) instructing Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It diagnoses the central bondage: mistaking anartha (harmful, spiritually empty pursuits) for artha (true welfare), and becoming self-entangled in moha—attachments produced by one’s own mind and habits.

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

By exposing attachment as self-made delusion, the verse prepares the ground for Vishnu-bhakti: devotion redirects desire from transient ‘profits’ to the Supreme, loosening the knots of moha and supporting liberation-oriented living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught directly here; the practical takeaway is viveka (discernment) and vairagya (detachment), which guide how one uses ritual and scriptural learning without turning them into new attachments.