Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

स्वाध्यायमकरोद्ब्रह्मन्वेदवेदांगपारगः । तत्र स्वाध्यायसंसक्तं शुकं व्याससुतं मुने ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

svādhyāyamakarodbrahmanvedavedāṃgapāragaḥ | tatra svādhyāyasaṃsaktaṃ śukaṃ vyāsasutaṃ mune || 38 ||

Translation

โอ้พราหมณ์ เขาได้ประกอบสวาธยายะจนชำนาญในพระเวทและเวทางคะ โอ้มุนี ณ ที่นั้นเขาได้เห็นศุกะบุตรแห่งวยาสะผู้หมกมุ่นอยู่ในสวาธยายะ

Word by Word

• स्वाध्यायम्: self-study, recitation
• स्वाध्यायम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अकरोत्: did, performed
• अकरोत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O brāhmaṇa
• ब्रह्मन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: one who has mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/द्वन्द्व-आधारित तत्पुरुष: ‘वेदानां वेदाङ्गानां च पारगः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• स्वाध्यायसंसक्तम्: attached to study
• स्वाध्यायसंसक्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + संसक्त (कृदन्त; सम् + √सञ्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-भाव ‘स्वाध्याये संसक्तम्’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies ‘शुकम्’

• शुकम्: Śuka
• शुकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• व्याससुतम्: son of Vyāsa
• व्याससुतम्: कर्म-सम्बन्ध (Apposition to object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘व्यासस्य सुतः’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; apposition to ‘शुकम्’

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrating to the assembled sages, addressing a muni/brāhmaṇa within the narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shuka
• Vyasa
• Vedas
• Vedangas

FAQs

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

It presents svādhyāya as a direct means of inner refinement: through disciplined study one attains mastery of Veda and Vedāṅga, and the exemplar of such absorption is Śuka, renowned for knowledge joined with detachment.

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

While the verse foregrounds jñāna through svādhyāya, in the Narada Purana this learning supports bhakti by making one’s remembrance and praise of the Lord scripturally grounded and steady, like Śuka’s unwavering absorption.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights competence in the Vedāṅgas—the practical sciences that preserve and apply the Veda—especially disciplines such as Śikṣā (phonetics), Vyākaraṇa (grammar), Chandas (meter), Nirukta (etymology), Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology), and Kalpa (ritual procedure).