Shloka 6

नारद-देवमत-संवादः

Nārada–Devamata Dialogue on Prāṇa, Apāna, and Udāna

Devanagari script

शुक्राच्छोणितसंसृष्टात्‌ पूर्व प्राण: प्रवर्तते । प्राणेन विकृते शुक्रे ततो5पान: प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

śukrāc choṇita-saṃsṛṣṭāt pūrvaṃ prāṇaḥ pravartate | prāṇena vikṛte śukre tato 'pānaḥ pravartate ||

Translation

那罗陀阐释道：“当精液（śukra）与血（śoṇita）相混之时，先是命气 prāṇa 在其中发动其作用；当精液被 prāṇa 所变易之后，继而下行之气 apāna 才随之起动。”

Word by Word

• शुक्रात्: from semen
• शुक्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• शोणित-संसृष्टात्: mixed with blood
• शोणित-संसृष्टात्: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोणित-संसृष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• पूर्वम्: first/previously
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• प्राणः: the prāṇa (vital breath)
• प्राणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रवर्तते: sets in / begins to act
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रवृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• प्राणेन: by/through prāṇa
• प्राणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विकृते: when (it is) altered/modified
• विकृते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकृत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शुक्रे: in the semen
• शुक्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अपानः: the apāna (downward vital breath)
• अपानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रवर्तते: sets in / begins to act
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रवृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• prāṇa
• apāna
• śukra
• choṇita

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Life and generation proceed through an ordered activation of vital forces: prāṇa initiates activity in the mixed generative substances, and after prāṇa brings transformation, apāna begins its function—suggesting that embodied life is structured, purposeful, and worthy of ethical regard.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is describing a step-by-step account of how conception and bodily formation begin, focusing on the sequential roles of prāṇa and apāna once semen is mixed with blood.