Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 99

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

Devanagari script

पक्षमासादिकालेन वर्धते वपुरत्र हि । दुःखाद्यः पीडितश्चैवाच्छन्नदेहो जरायुणा ॥ ९९ ॥

Transliteration

pakṣamāsādikālena vardhate vapuratra hi | duḥkhādyaḥ pīḍitaścaivācchannadeho jarāyuṇā || 99 ||

Translation

诚然，在此境中，身体随时日推移而增长——以半月、月等为期；而具身者为痛苦等所逼恼，其身被胎膜（jarāyu，阇罗由）所包裹。

Word by Word

• पक्ष-मास-आदि-कालेन: by (the passage of) time such as a fortnight and a month
• पक्ष-मास-आदि-कालेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (पक्ष-मास-आदि) + काल; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण (measure of time)

• वर्धते: grows, increases
• वर्धते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वपुः: the body
• वपुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अत्र: here (in the womb)
• अत्र: Desha (देश/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• दुःख-आद्यः: having suffering etc. (as its lot)
• दुःख-आद्यः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (one whose beginning is suffering / having suffering etc.)

• पीडितः: afflicted
• पीडितः: Kriya (क्रियाफल/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphasis/only)

• आच्छन्न-देहः: one whose body is covered
• आच्छन्न-देहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-छद् (धातु) + न (कृत्) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; आच्छन्न (PPP) qualifying देह; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जरायुणा: by the amniotic membrane (jarāyu)
• जरायुणा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a didactic dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It highlights the embodied soul’s helplessness and suffering even before birth, urging dispassion toward the body and a turn toward dharma and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By showing the body as a seat of unavoidable pain and limitation, it supports the bhakti impulse to seek refuge beyond the body—ultimately in the Lord—rather than relying on physical existence for lasting fulfillment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It uses traditional time-units (pakṣa, māsa) and observational description of bodily development—an applied, technical framing consistent with Vedāṅga-style precision in measuring time and describing physiological stages.