Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

प्रीणनाञ्चैव सर्वेषां प्राण इत्यभिधीयते । प्रेषयत्यभ्रसंघातान्धूमजांश्चोष्मजांस्तथा ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

prīṇanāñcaiva sarveṣāṃ prāṇa ityabhidhīyate | preṣayatyabhrasaṃghātāndhūmajāṃścoṣmajāṃstathā || 17 ||

Translation

เพราะยังความชื่นบานและค้ำจุนสรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวง จึงเรียกว่า “ปราณะ” และปราณะนั้นยังกระตุ้นให้หมู่เมฆ รวมทั้งสิ่งที่เกิดจากควันและสิ่งที่เกิดจากความร้อน เคลื่อนไปข้างหน้า॥๑๗॥

Word by Word

• प्रीणनान्: pleasings/satisfactions
• प्रीणनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीणन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘प्रीणन’ = तर्पण/सन्तोष-कारक (acts of pleasing)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

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

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (collective), षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• प्राणः: Prāṇa
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अभिधीयते: is called/denoted
• अभिधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• प्रेषयति: sends/impels
• प्रेषयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रेष्/इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative/impelling sense ‘sends’

• अभ्रसंघातान्: cloud-masses
• अभ्रसंघातान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्र+संघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (masses of clouds)

• धूमजान्: smoke-born (things)
• धूमजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूम+ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (born of smoke)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• उष्मजान्: heat-born (things)
• उष्मजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्म+ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (born of heat)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकार (and also/likewise)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on Moksha-dharma and the subtle functions of prāṇa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It defines prāṇa as the universal sustaining force—both the inner life-breath that enlivens beings and a cosmic power that also regulates outer phenomena, linking inner yoga with outer cosmology.

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

By showing that prāṇa pervades and governs life and nature, the verse supports a devotional worldview where the seeker reveres the divine order behind prāṇa and practices steadiness of breath and mind as an aid to God-oriented living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It most closely aligns with Jyotiṣa and natural cosmology themes—observing how heat, smoke, and cloud-formation relate to ordered forces—used to understand ritually and seasonally appropriate conduct, though the verse itself is primarily yogic/physiological.