Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 80

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

इति पञ्चसु शब्दोऽयं स्पर्शो भूतचतुष्टये । रूपं त्रिषु रसश्चैव द्वयोर्गंधः क्षितौ तथा ॥ ८० ॥

Transliteration

iti pañcasu śabdo'yaṃ sparśo bhūtacatuṣṭaye | rūpaṃ triṣu rasaścaiva dvayorgaṃdhaḥ kṣitau tathā || 80 ||

Translation

ఇలా ఐదు భూతాలలో శబ్దం ఉంటుంది; నాలుగు భూతాలలో స్పర్శ; మూడు భూతాలలో రూపం; రెండు భూతాలలో రసం; గంధం మాత్రం పృథివిలోనే ఉంటుంది.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः (quotative/marker)

• पञ्चसु: in the five (elements)
• पञ्चसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; 'in the five'

• शब्दः: sound
• शब्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्पर्शः: touch
• स्पर्शः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूत-चतुष्टये: in the group of four elements
• भूत-चतुष्टये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('in the set of four elements')

• रूपम्: form/colour
• रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्रिषु: in the three (elements)
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; 'in the three'

• रसः: taste
• रसः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic/limiting particle)

• द्वयोः: of the two (elements)
• द्वयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; 'of the two'

• गन्धः: smell
• गन्धः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षितौ: in earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/so
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical exposition of bhūtas and tanmātras)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It maps how sense-qualities progressively accumulate from subtle to gross elements, helping the seeker discern prakṛti’s layered manifestation and cultivate detachment from sensory identification.

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

By clarifying that sensory qualities belong to the elements (not the Self), it supports bhakti-based inward turning—offering the senses back to the Lord rather than being ruled by them.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical tattva-classification used in śāstra study and ritual reasoning: which sense-quality (śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa, gandha) pertains to which bhūta—useful for precise doctrinal and explanatory frameworks in Vedic sciences.