Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

जंगमानां च सर्वेषां शरीरे पंञ्च धातवः । प्रत्येकशः प्रभिद्यंते यैः शरीरं विचेष्टते ॥ ७४ ॥

Transliteration

jaṃgamānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ śarīre paṃñca dhātavaḥ | pratyekaśaḥ prabhidyaṃte yaiḥ śarīraṃ viceṣṭate || 74 ||

Translation

تمام متحرک جانداروں کے جسم میں پانچ دھاتو/عناصر ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ جدا جدا طور پر کارفرما رہتے ہیں، انہی سے بدن حرکت و عمل کے قابل ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• जङ्गमानाम्: of moving beings
• जङ्गमानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण-कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या (numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘धातवः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• धातवः: elements/constituents
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रत्येकशः: individually
• प्रत्येकशः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रत्येकशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘individually/one by one’

• प्रभिद्यन्ते: are distinguished/separated
• प्रभिद्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यैः: by which
• यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृवत् (subject of intransitive)

• विचेष्टते: moves/acts
• विचेष्टते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It teaches tattva-viveka (discriminative insight): the body’s activity depends on impersonal elemental constituents, helping the seeker reduce ego-identification and move toward moksha.

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

By showing the body as a composite of constituents, it supports humility and surrender—devotion becomes steadier when one stops mistaking bodily motion and capacity for the true Self and offers all actions to the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily tattva-analysis used in dharma and moksha instruction rather than a specific Vedanga; practically, it supports disciplined conduct (yama-niyama) by viewing bodily urges as elemental processes to be regulated.