Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

ज्योत्स्ना तमिस्राऽष्टीवच्च कक्षीवद्य्रर्मण्वती । आसंदी वञ्च चक्रीवत्तूष्णीकां जल्पतक्यपि ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

jyotsnā tamisrā'ṣṭīvacca kakṣīvadyrarmaṇvatī | āsaṃdī vañca cakrīvattūṣṇīkāṃ jalpatakyapi || 70 ||

Translation

แสงจันทร์ก็กลับเป็นความมืด; สิ่งที่มั่นคงก็สั่นคลอน; ที่ควรเป็นที่พึ่งกลับบีบคั้น. ที่นั่งกลับเป็นกับดัก; และแม้ผู้เงียบงัน ก็ยัง “พูด” อยู่ด้วยความปั่นป่วนภายใน

Word by Word

• jyotsnā: Jyotsnā (a name; moonlight)
• jyotsnā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotsnā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tamisrā: Tamisrā (a name; darkness)
• tamisrā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamisrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• aṣṭīvat: Aṣṭīvat (a name; 'like a staff')
• aṣṭīvat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭīvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (contextual)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kakṣīvat: Kakṣīvat (a name)
• kakṣīvat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kakṣīvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (contextual)

• yrarmaṇvatī: (uncertain name due to corrupt reading)
• yrarmaṇvatī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: (पाठदोष/अस्पष्ट) rarmaṇvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); पाठः अनिश्चितः

• āsaṃdī: Āsaṃdī (a name; chair)
• āsaṃdī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsaṃdī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• va: or
• va: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: va (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'or')

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• cakrīvat: Cakrīvat (a name; 'like one with a wheel')
• cakrīvat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cakrīvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) (contextual)

• tūṣṇīkām: Tūṣṇīkā (a name; silence)
• tūṣṇīkām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tūṣṇīkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jalpatakī: Jalpatakī (a name; chatterer)
• jalpatakī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalpatakī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It highlights the deceptive and shifting nature of worldly supports: even what appears bright, stable, or restful can turn into bondage when the mind is agitated. The verse pushes the seeker toward dispassion (vairagya) and inner steadiness as prerequisites for moksha.

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

By showing that external conditions (comfort, silence, pleasantness) are unreliable, it implies that true refuge lies in inner anchoring—classically fulfilled through steady remembrance and surrender. Bhakti becomes practical when one relies on the Lord rather than on changing circumstances and moods.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse uses a nyaya-style (illustrative reasoning) approach typical of dharmic instruction: it teaches discernment through metaphor—useful for understanding how scriptural counsel trains the mind (manonigraha) rather than prescribing a ritual or technical Vedanga procedure.