Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

Śokanivāraṇa: Non-brooding, Impermanence, Contentment, and Śuka’s Renunciation

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नेवोदरे गर्भः किं नान्नमिव जीर्यति । गर्भे मूत्रपुरीषाणां स्वभावनियता गतिः ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

tasminnevodare garbhaḥ kiṃ nānnamiva jīryati | garbhe mūtrapurīṣāṇāṃ svabhāvaniyatā gatiḥ || 52 ||

Translation

Ngay trong chính bụng ấy, bào thai chẳng bị tiêu hóa như thức ăn sao? Và trong dạ con, sự vận hành của nước tiểu và phân diễn ra theo tự tánh của chúng, được chi phối bởi luật bẩm sinh.

Word by Word

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• udare: in the belly/womb
• udare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• garbhaḥ: the embryo
• garbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kim: why?/how?/is it that
• kim: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• na: not
• na: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• annam: food
• annam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; उपमान (for iva)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparison)

• jīryati: is digested/decays
• jīryati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jṝ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• garbhe: in the womb/embryo-state
• garbhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• mūtra-purīṣāṇām: of urine and feces
• mūtra-purīṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūtra (प्रातिपदिक) + purīṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (urine and feces)

• svabhāva-niyatā: fixed by nature
• svabhāva-niyatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + niyata (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसदृशः (svabhāvena niyatā = fixed by nature); विशेषणम् (qualifying gatiḥ)

• gatiḥ: movement/course
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

It cultivates vairagya (detachment) by showing that the body’s origin and growth occur amid impure, involuntary processes—supporting the Moksha-dharma emphasis on seeking the Self beyond the body.

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

By weakening pride in the body and attachment to sense-life, the verse prepares the mind for surrender; when bodily identification fades, devotion can become steadier and more one-pointed toward the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No Vedanga technique is taught directly; the verse functions as a dharmic contemplation (anusmṛti) used in Moksha-dharma to generate dispassion rather than prescribing ritual, grammar, or astrology.