Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

Anadhyaya and the Winds: From Vedic Recitation Protocol to Sanatkumara’s Moksha-Upadesha

Devanagari script

अनर्थे वार्थसंज्ञस्त्वं किमर्थं नावबुध्यसे । संवेष्ट्यमानं बहुभिर्मोहतंतुभिरात्मजैः ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

anarthe vārthasaṃjñastvaṃ kimarthaṃ nāvabudhyase | saṃveṣṭyamānaṃ bahubhirmohataṃtubhirātmajaiḥ || 63 ||

Translation

Sao ngươi gọi điều vô ích tai hại là ‘lợi’, mà chẳng hiểu cho thấu? Ngươi đang bị quấn chặt bởi muôn sợi tơ mê muội—những chấp thủ do chính ngươi tự sinh ra.

Word by Word

• अनर्थे: in what is worthless/harmful
• अनर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• अर्थ-संज्ञः: calling it meaningful/profitable
• अर्थ-संज्ञः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अर्थ इति संज्ञा यस्य)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किमर्थम्: why
• किमर्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: ‘for what reason/why?’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अवबुध्यसे: do you understand
• अवबुध्यसे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• संवेष्ट्यमानम्: being wrapped/encircled
• संवेष्ट्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+वेष्ट् (धातु) → वेष्ट्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘(त्वम्) … पश्यसि/अवबुध्यसे’ इत्यर्थे कर्मरूपेण

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘तन्तुभिः’

• मोह-तन्तुभिः: by the threads of delusion
• मोह-तन्तुभिः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह + तन्तु (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मोहस्य तन्तवः)

• आत्मजैः: self-born/one’s own
• आत्मजैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘तन्तुभिः’ (born of oneself/one’s own)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (one of the Sanaka brothers) instructing Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It diagnoses the central bondage: mistaking anartha (harmful, spiritually empty pursuits) for artha (true welfare), and becoming self-entangled in moha—attachments produced by one’s own mind and habits.

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

By exposing attachment as self-made delusion, the verse prepares the ground for Vishnu-bhakti: devotion redirects desire from transient ‘profits’ to the Supreme, loosening the knots of moha and supporting liberation-oriented living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught directly here; the practical takeaway is viveka (discernment) and vairagya (detachment), which guide how one uses ritual and scriptural learning without turning them into new attachments.