Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 6

Nārada Explains the Allegory of King Purañjana

Deha–Indriya–Manaḥ Mapping and the Remedy of Bhakti

Devanagari script

सखाय इन्द्रियगणा ज्ञानं कर्म च यत्कृतम् । सख्यस्तद्वृत्तय: प्राण: पञ्चवृत्तिर्यथोरग: ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

sakhāya indriya-gaṇā jñānaṁ karma ca yat-kṛtam sakhyas tad-vṛttayaḥ prāṇaḥ pañca-vṛttir yathoragaḥ

Translation

五种作业根与五种知觉根，皆为普兰贾妮的男性友伴。依凭这些根，众生得以求知并从事行为。诸根的活动如同女伴；而普拉那如五头之蛇，在五种循环流中运行。

Synonyms

• सखायः: friends, companions
• सखायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इन्द्रिय-गणाः: groups of senses
• इन्द्रिय-गणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): इन्द्रियाणां गणाः

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कर्म: action
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्-कृतम्: done by which / that which is done
• यत्-कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘कृत’; तत्पुरुष: यत् द्वारा निर्दिष्टं कृतम्

• सख्यः: friends
• सख्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तत्-वृत्तयः: its functions/activities
• तत्-वृत्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तस्य वृत्तयः

• प्राणः: vital air, prāṇa
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पञ्च-वृत्तिः: having five functions
• पञ्च-वृत्तिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical): पञ्च वृत्तयः यस्य/या

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• उरगः: a serpent
• उरगः: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Purport

kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga-vāñchā kare nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

Characters & Entities

• Purañjana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the senses (indriyas) as companions of the soul?

This verse explains that the senses accompany the conditioned being and become the instruments through which knowledge and karma are generated, binding one to worldly experience.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe prāṇa as having five movements like a serpent?

He highlights that the life-air operates in multiple functional flows (fivefold), animating sense-activity in varied ways—similar to how a serpent moves with different motions.

Practical application: how can this teaching help in modern life?

By recognizing that senses and prāṇa drive habits and reactions, one can practice restraint, mindful living, and bhakti to redirect sense-energy away from compulsive karma toward devotion.