Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

Devanagari script

वाक्च शब्दविशेषार्थमिति पंचान्वितं विदुः । एवमेकादशेतानि बुद्ध्या त्ववसृजन्मनः ॥ ७१ ॥

Transliteration

vākca śabdaviśeṣārthamiti paṃcānvitaṃ viduḥ | evamekādaśetāni buddhyā tvavasṛjanmanaḥ || 71 ||

Translation

Ang pananalita (vāk) ay kilalang may limang anyo—tunog, tiyak na pagbigkas, at kahulugan (kasama ang iba pang sangkap). Gayon din, hayaang ang isip, sa tulong ng buddhi, umurong mula sa labing-isang (kakayahan) na ito.

Word by Word

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• शब्दविशेषार्थम्: the specific meaning of words
• शब्दविशेषार्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + विशेष + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शब्दस्य विशेषः अर्थः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थे (quotative/marker)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable-like numeral used substantively)

• अन्वितम्: endowed (with)
• अन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed/connected’

• विदुः: they know/declare
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-द्विगु; नपुंसकलिङ्गे ‘एतानि’ इति सह विशेषणम् (eleven)

• एतानि: these (things)
• एतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बुद्ध्या: by intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• अवसृजन्: they release/let go
• अवसृजन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) उपसर्गः अव-
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘they let go/they release’

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches inner renunciation: by using buddhi (discriminative intellect), one should retract the mind from the network of faculties that bind consciousness to external experience, supporting moksha-dharma.

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

By restraining speech and withdrawing the mind from outward-going faculties, the practitioner reduces distraction and becomes fit for single-pointed remembrance of the Lord—an essential support for steady Vishnu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly draws on śikṣā and vyākaraṇa concerns—speech as sound, articulation, and meaning—showing how refined understanding of vāk becomes a tool for mental discipline rather than mere scholarship.