Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

कोटिजन्मसहस्रेषु स्थावरादिषु सत्तम । सम्भ्रान्तस्य तु मानुष्यं कथञ्चित्परिलभ्यते ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

koṭijanmasahasreṣu sthāvarādiṣu sattama | sambhrāntasya tu mānuṣyaṃ kathañcitparilabhyate || 36 ||

Translation

اے نیکوں کے سردار! جمادات وغیرہ کی یونیوں میں ہزاروں بلکہ کروڑوں جنموں کے بعد، صرف باطن میں بیدار ہوئے جیَو کو ہی کسی طرح انسانی جنم نصیب ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• कोटि-जन्म-सहस्रेषु: in thousands of births (over crores)
• कोटि-जन्म-सहस्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (locative) — 'in thousands of births of crores'

• स्थावर-आदिषु: among immobile beings and others
• स्थावर-आदिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; अधिकरण — 'among immobile etc. (species)'

• सत्तम: O best (of the good)
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन — vocative address

• सम्भ्रान्तस्य: of the wandering one
• सम्भ्रान्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भ्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive) — 'of the wandering/roaming (jīva)'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — contrast/emphasis

• मानुष्यं: human birth/state
• मानुष्यं: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject) with passive verb

• कथञ्चित्: somehow, with difficulty
• कथञ्चित्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — 'somehow/with difficulty'

• परिलभ्यते: is obtained
• परिलभ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) — 'is obtained'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that human birth is extraordinarily rare across countless lifetimes, so it should be used for dharma and liberation-oriented practice rather than wasted in mere sense pursuits.

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

By stressing the rarity of human life and spiritual alertness, it implies urgency: once human birth is gained, one should turn the awakened mind toward Hari/Vishnu-bhakti and steady sādhana to reach the highest goal.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the sādhana-priority principle—use the human condition for disciplined practice (niyama, vrata, japa) aimed at moksha.