Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

पादार्थास्तु पशुपतिः पशुपाशास्त्रय एव हि । पतिस्तत्र शिवोह्येको जीवास्तु पशवः स्मृताः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

pādārthāstu paśupatiḥ paśupāśāstraya eva hi | patistatra śivohyeko jīvāstu paśavaḥ smṛtāḥ || 14 ||

Translation

根本范畴确有三类：众生之主帕舒帕提（Paśupati）、被缚之灵（paśu）与系缚之索（pāśa）。其中，唯有湿婆是一位主宰；诸个体生命（jīva）被记为“帕舒”。

Word by Word

• पाद-अर्थाः: the meanings of the parts
• पाद-अर्थाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘पादानाम् अर्थाः’

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

• पशुपतिः: Lord of beings (Paśupati)
• पशुपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पशुपाशाः: bonds of the beings
• पशुपाशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘पशूनां पाशाः’

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणं (पादार्थाः/पशुपाशाः इत्यादीनां त्रयाणाम्)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/निश्चय-निपात (causal/emphatic particle)

• पतिः: the Lord
• पतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्यः ‘पतिः’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय-निपात

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘शिवः/पतिः’

• जीवाः: souls/living beings
• जीवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• पशवः: beasts/creatures (bound beings)
• पशवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समानाधिकरणं ‘जीवाः’

• स्मृताः: are regarded
• स्मृताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘are considered/remembered as’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Pashupati

FAQs

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

It defines a core liberation framework: the soul (paśu) is bound by bonds (pāśa) and requires the grace/sovereignty of the one Lord, Śiva as Paśupati, for release—clarifying who is truly free and who is conditioned.

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

By identifying Śiva as the single supreme ‘Pati’ (Lord), the verse sets a devotional orientation: the jīva recognizes its dependent state (paśu) and turns toward the Lord as the liberator from bonds (pāśa), which is the inner logic of bhakti—surrender and reliance on divine mastery.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not teaching a specific Vedāṅga technique (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa), it uses precise doctrinal classification (tattva-vibhāga)—a technical method of defining terms and categories that supports systematic study and correct interpretation of ritual-theological teachings.