Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 123

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

एतयोरुभयोर्मध्ये सुषुम्णा नाडिका स्मृता । अतिसूक्ष्मा गुह्यतमा ज्ञेया सा ब्रह्मदैवता ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

etayorubhayormadhye suṣumṇā nāḍikā smṛtā | atisūkṣmā guhyatamā jñeyā sā brahmadaivatā || 23 ||

Translation

ระหว่างนาฑีทั้งสองนั้น มีนาฑีชื่อว่า “สุษุมณา” กล่าวไว้ เป็นทางเดินที่ละเอียดอย่างยิ่งและลี้ลับที่สุด พึงรู้ว่าอยู่ในอธิษฐานของเทพพรหมา

Word by Word

• एतयोः: of these two
• एतयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual), नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः (common pronominal form)

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनामसदृश-शब्दः, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुषुम्णा: Suṣumṇā (central channel)
• सुषुम्णा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुषुम्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाडिका: nāḍī (subtle channel)
• नाडिका: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मृता: is said/remembered (as)
• स्मृता: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (passive sense)

• अति-सूक्ष्मा: extremely subtle
• अति-सूक्ष्मा: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• गुह्य-तमा: most secret
• गुह्य-तमा: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तमतम-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अतिशय-तुलनात्मकः (superlative)

• ज्ञेया: should be known
• ज्ञेया: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य, यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थः (ought to be known)

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-दैवता: the deity of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-दैवता: विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘ब्रह्मणः देवता’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Suṣumṇā
• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It highlights Suṣumṇā as the central, most secret pathway of inner ascent—subtler than the side channels—indicating that liberation-oriented practice depends on directing awareness and prāṇa through this hidden middle channel.

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

While primarily yogic, it supports bhakti-sādhana by implying inward concentration: devotion becomes steadier when the mind is gathered into the central channel (suṣumṇā), enabling deeper absorption in the chosen deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This is not a Vedāṅga passage (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa); it instead conveys yogic technical knowledge (nāḍī-śāstra/prāṇa-vijñāna) used for disciplined meditation and breath regulation.