Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

Threefold Suffering, Twofold Knowledge, and the Definition of Bhagavān (Vāsudeva); Prelude to Keśidhvaja–Janaka Yoga

Devanagari script

अहंमानमह्य पानमदमत्ता न मादृशाः । केशिध्वज उवाच । अहं च विद्यया मृत्युं तर्तुकामः करोमि वै ॥ ८४ ॥

Transliteration

ahaṃmānamahya pānamadamattā na mādṛśāḥ | keśidhvaja uvāca | ahaṃ ca vidyayā mṛtyuṃ tartukāmaḥ karomi vai || 84 ||

Translation

我因我慢与饮酒之傲而沉醉，自谓无人可比。克西提幢（Keśidhvaja）说道：“而我，凭真实之明（vidyā），确实努力欲渡越死亡。”

Word by Word

• ahaṃ-māna-madya-pāna-mada-mattāḥ: (people) intoxicated with ego-pride and with drunkenness from liquor-drinking
• ahaṃ-māna-madya-pāna-mada-mattāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aham (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + māna (प्रातिपदिक) + madya (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक) + mada (प्रातिपदिक) + matta (कृदन्त; √mad/मद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; bahuvrīhi: 'those who are intoxicated (matta) with pride (ahaṃ-māna) and with the intoxication (mada) of drinking liquor (madya-pāna)'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• mādṛśāḥ: like me/people like me
• mādṛśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• keśidhvajaḥ: Keśidhvaja
• keśidhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/quotative speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśidhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• vidyayā: by knowledge
• vidyayā: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• mṛtyum: death
• mṛtyum: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tartukāmaḥ: desirous to cross (over)
• tartukāmaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/of aham)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tartu (तुमुनन्त; √tṝ/तॄ) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; desiderative adjective: 'desirous to cross' (तर्तुम् + कामः)

• karomi: I do/undertake
• karomi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• vai: indeed/truly
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/assurance

Speaker

Keśidhvaja (explicitly marked: ‘Keśidhvaja uvāca’)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Keśidhvaja
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

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

It contrasts two inner states: pride born of intoxication and ego versus the liberating pursuit of vidyā (spiritual knowledge) aimed at transcending mṛtyu (death), pointing toward mokṣa as the higher goal.

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

While the verse foregrounds jñāna (vidyā), it implicitly supports bhakti by rejecting ego and indulgence—key prerequisites for sincere surrender and steady devotion; pride and intoxication are shown as barriers to spiritual progress.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is directly taught; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discipline—overcoming mada and ahaṃmāna—so that higher vidyā can function as a means to mokṣa.