Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 45

Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana

Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti

शब्दब्रह्मणि दुष्पारे चरन्त उरुविस्तरे । मन्त्रलिङ्गैर्व्यवच्छिन्नं भजन्तो न विदु: परम् ॥ ४५ ॥

śabda-brahmaṇi duṣpāre caranta uru-vistare mantra-liṅgair vyavacchinnaṁ bhajanto na viduḥ param

لا محدود اور دشوارگذر شبد‑برہمن (وید) میں بھٹکتے ہوئے، اور منتروں کی علامتوں کے مطابق مختلف دیوتاؤں کی پوجا کرتے ہوئے بھی، لوگ پرم پُرش—سرو شکتی مان بھگوان—کو نہیں جان پاتے۔

शब्दब्रह्मणिin the sound-Brahman (Vedic sound)
शब्दब्रह्मणि:
अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootशब्द-ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; कर्मधारय: शब्दरूपं ब्रह्म (Vedic sound as Brahman); locative singular
दुष्पारेhard to cross
दुष्पारे:
अधिकरण-विशेषण (Qualifier of locus)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुष्पार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; adjective agreeing with शब्दब्रह्मणि
चरन्तःmoving about, practicing
चरन्तः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√चर् (धातु)
Formवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; present active participle ‘wandering/engaging’
उरुविस्तरेin the vast expanse
उरुविस्तरे:
अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउरु-विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; कर्मधारय: उरुः विस्तरः (vast expanse); locative singular; locus for चरन्तः
मन्त्रलिङ्गैःby the signs/forms of mantras
मन्त्रलिङ्गैः:
करण (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्र-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: मन्त्रस्य लिङ्गम् (marks/signs of mantras); instrumental plural
व्यवच्छिन्नम्delimited, distinguished, separated
व्यवच्छिन्नम्:
कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
TypeAdjective
Rootव्यवच्छिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+अव+√छिद् (धातु) + क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; past passive participle (क्त) used predicatively/object-qualifier
भजन्तःworshipping
भजन्तः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√भज् (धातु)
Formवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; present active participle ‘worshipping/serving’
not
:
निषेध (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (निपात/अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात
विदुःthey know
विदुः:
क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√विद् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण; perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; perfect 3rd pl ‘they know’
परम्the Supreme (reality)
परम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; accusative singular; object of विदुः

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) :

N
Nārada Muni
K
King Prācīnabarhi (Prācinabarhisat)

FAQs

This verse says that people can wander in the vast expanse of Vedic sound and worship only the ritual portions defined by mantras, yet still fail to know the Supreme Reality beyond those external divisions.

Nārada instructs the king—who was inclined toward elaborate sacrificial rites—that mere ritual engagement does not automatically reveal the Supreme; one must seek the ultimate purpose of the Vedas: realization of Bhagavān.

Use scripture, mantra, and worship as a means to cultivate remembrance, humility, and devotion to the Supreme—rather than stopping at external performance—by regularly hearing, chanting, and reflecting on the goal: knowing and serving Bhagavān.