Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

Vyākaraṇa-saṅgraha: Pada–Vibhakti–Kāraka–Lakāra–Samāsa

Devanagari script

वैद्यरूपो भूतपूर्वे मतो दृष्टचरो मुने । प्राचुर्यादिष्वन्नमयो मृण्मयः स्रीमयस्तथा ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

vaidyarūpo bhūtapūrve mato dṛṣṭacaro mune | prācuryādiṣvannamayo mṛṇmayaḥ srīmayastathā || 58 ||

Translation

Hỡi bậc hiền triết, thuở xưa Ngài ấy được xem là kẻ du hành trong dáng hình một lương y; và tùy theo sự sung túc của nơi chốn hay cảnh trạng, người ta nói Ngài là “do thức ăn mà thành”, “do đất sét mà thành”, và cũng “do phú quý mà thành”.

Word by Word

• vaidya-rūpaḥ: having the form of a physician
• vaidya-rūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaidya (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vaidya-sya rūpaḥ) — adjective used predicatively

• bhūta-pūrve: formerly, in the past
• bhūta-pūrve: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; लोके अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थे—पूर्वकाले (formerly)

• mataḥ: considered, regarded
• mataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: man (धातु) → mata (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भावे—‘considered/held as’

• dṛṣṭa-caraḥ: a known spy / one whose spying is known
• dṛṣṭa-caraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त) + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः—‘दृष्टः (प्रसिद्धः) चरः’ = known spy

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• prācurya-ādiṣu: in (words denoting) abundance etc.
• prācurya-ādiṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prācurya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘prācurya-ādi’ = abundance etc.; -ādi-समासः (etc.-compound)

• anna-mayaḥ: made of food / consisting of food
• anna-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्धितार्थे ‘-maya’ = made of/consisting of

• mṛt-mayaḥ: made of clay
• mṛt-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘mṛt’ (clay) + ‘maya’ (made of)

• śrī-mayaḥ: full of splendour/wealth
• śrī-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘śrī’ (splendour/wealth) + ‘maya’ (full of/consisting of)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपसंहारार्थक (also/likewise)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; addressing a sage as 'mune')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sri (prosperity)

FAQs

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

It points to the shifting, condition-based identities of embodied life—food-body (annamaya), earth-body (mṛṇmaya), and prosperity-identity (śrīmaya)—encouraging discernment and detachment as part of Moksha Dharma.

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

By exposing material self-definitions (nourishment, possessions, fortune) as contingent, it nudges the seeker to anchor identity in the Divine rather than in abundance or wealth—supporting steadiness in Vishnu-bhakti even when external conditions change.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with Upanishadic-style analysis of the annamaya (food sheath/body) used in spiritual discernment; practically, it supports disciplined living (āhāra-niyama) and renunciation principles rather than a specific ritual or technical Vedanga procedure.