Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Śokanivāraṇa: Non-brooding, Impermanence, Contentment, and Śuka’s Renunciation

Devanagari script

भजंति हि शारीराणि रोगाः शरीरमानसाः । सायका इव तीक्ष्णाग्राः प्रयुक्ता दृढधन्विभिः ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

bhajaṃti hi śārīrāṇi rogāḥ śarīramānasāḥ | sāyakā iva tīkṣṇāgrāḥ prayuktā dṛḍhadhanvibhiḥ || 15 ||

Translation

โรคทั้งกายและใจย่อมเข้าครอบงำผู้มีร่างกาย ดุจลูกศรปลายแหลมที่นักธนูผู้มั่นคงและแข็งแรงยิงออกไป

Word by Word

• भजन्ति: afflict/attack
• भजन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

• शारीराणि: bodily (things)
• शारीराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd case), बहुवचन (plural)

• रोगाः: diseases
• रोगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• शरीरमानसाः: physical and mental
• शरीरमानसाः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (plural); द्वन्द्व-समासः (itaretara-dvandva) = 'bodily and mental'

• सायकाः: arrows
• सायकाः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• तीक्ष्णाग्राः: sharp-tipped
• तीक्ष्णाग्राः: Upamāna-viśeṣaṇa (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (plural); कर्मधारय-समासः = 'sharp-pointed'

• प्रयुक्ताः: shot/used
• प्रयुक्ताः: Upamāna-viśeṣaṇa (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• दृढधन्विभिः: by firm-bowmen/strong archers
• दृढधन्विभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृढ + धन्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd case), बहुवचन (plural); कर्मधारय-समासः = 'firm-bow(-bearing) archers'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It frames physical and mental ailments as inevitable assaults on embodied life, urging the seeker to cultivate dispassion and pursue moksha-oriented discipline rather than mistaking the body-mind complex for lasting refuge.

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

By highlighting the vulnerability of body and mind, it implicitly redirects reliance toward the Divine as the steady support beyond changing conditions—strengthening the bhakti attitude of surrender and remembrance amid suffering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga is taught directly; the practical takeaway is ethical-psychological: observe how mental states intensify suffering and apply disciplined self-control (dama) and steadiness (dhairya) as part of moksha-dharma practice.