Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

Sṛṣṭi-pralaya-kathana: Mahābhūta-guṇāḥ, Vṛkṣa-indriya-vādaḥ, Prāṇa-vāyu-vyavasthā

Devanagari script

भरद्वाज उवाच । पंचभिर्यदि भूतैस्तु युक्ताः स्थावरजंगमाः । स्थावराणां न दृश्यंते शरीरे पंच धातवः ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

bharadvāja uvāca | paṃcabhiryadi bhūtaistu yuktāḥ sthāvarajaṃgamāḥ | sthāvarāṇāṃ na dṛśyaṃte śarīre paṃca dhātavaḥ || 63 ||

Translation

婆罗陀婆阇说道：若一切不动之类与动类众生确由五大所成，那么为何在不动者如草木树身之中，看不见五种身分（五种体质）呢？

Word by Word

• भरद्वाजः: Bharadvāja
• भरद्वाजः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरद्वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु-शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• भूतैः: with elements/beings
• भूतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• युक्ताः: endowed/connected
• युक्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘युक्त’ = संयुक्त/समन्वित

• स्थावर-जङ्गमाः: the immobile and mobile (beings)
• स्थावर-जङ्गमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्थावराणाम्: of immobile beings (plants etc.)
• स्थावराणाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (here) विशेषण

• धातवः: constituents/elements (dhātus)
• धातवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Bharadvaja

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvaja
• Pancha Mahabhutas

FAQs

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

It frames a tattva-inquiry: how the same five elements manifest differently across life-forms, prompting discrimination between gross visibility and subtle constitution—an approach used in Moksha Dharma for right knowledge (jñāna).

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by clarifying that embodied forms differ in manifestation yet arise from the same elemental basis; such clarity reduces भ्रम (confusion) and strengthens steady contemplation of the Lord beyond mere external appearances.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A conceptual foundation for śāstric analysis of śarīra and tattva is implied (used across Vedic disciplines), though no specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa is directly taught in this verse.