Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47

नैनं प्रज्ञा सुनियतं त्रायते नापि पौरुषम् । स्वभावाद्यत्नमातिष्ठेद्यत्नवान्नावसीदति ॥ ४७ ॥

nainaṃ prajñā suniyataṃ trāyate nāpi pauruṣam | svabhāvādyatnamātiṣṭhedyatnavānnāvasīdati || 47 ||

仅凭聪慧,乃至严谨自制,也不能救人;单靠勇力亦然。故当从自身本性起,恒常精进;勤行者不至沉沦败亡。

not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
एनम्him/this person
एनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
प्रज्ञाwisdom, intelligence
प्रज्ञा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सुनियतम्well-controlled, well-restrained
सुनियतम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘enam’)
त्रायतेprotects/saves
त्रायते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootत्रा (धातु)
Formलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
nor/not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
अपिalso/even
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)
पौरुषम्manly effort, human exertion
पौरुषम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपौरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (contextually: subject ‘pauruṣam’ = manly effort does not save)
स्वभावात्from one’s nature
स्वभावात्:
Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन
यत्नम्effort
यत्नम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
आतिष्ठेत्should undertake/adhere to
आतिष्ठेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-√स्था (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
यत्नवान्one who has effort, diligent
यत्नवान्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootयत्नवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied person)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
अवसीदतिsinks/desponds/fails
अवसीदति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव-√सद् (धातु)
Formलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-Dharma context)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It emphasizes that liberation-oriented progress depends on sustained, practical effort aligned with one’s temperament (svabhāva), not on intellect, restraint, or bravado taken in isolation.

Bhakti is strengthened by consistent practice suited to one’s nature—regular remembrance, japa, worship, and service—so devotion becomes steady rather than merely conceptual or occasional.

No single Vedāṅga is directly taught; the practical takeaway is methodological: adopt a disciplined routine (sādhana) and apply it persistently, tailoring practice to one’s capacity and disposition.