Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 74

Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

नरो यः सत्कथामध्ये संभाषां कुरुतेऽन्यतः । स याति नरकं घोरं तदेकाग्रमना भवेत् ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

naro yaḥ satkathāmadhye saṃbhāṣāṃ kurute'nyataḥ | sa yāti narakaṃ ghoraṃ tadekāgramanā bhavet || 73 ||

Translation

مَن كان في أثناء السَّتْكَثا (الحديث المقدّس) ثم انشغل بحديثٍ جانبيّ مع غيره، يمضي إلى جحيمٍ مروّع؛ فليكن الذهن إذن واحدَ التوجّه، منصرفًا إلى السرد المقدّس.

Word by Word

• naraḥ: man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• satkathāmadhye: in the midst of the holy story
• satkathāmadhye: Adhikarana (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satkathāmadhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• saṃbhāṣām: conversation
• saṃbhāṣām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃbhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• kurute: does/makes
• kurute: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Atmanepada, Lat Lakara (Present), 3rd Person, Singular

• anyataḥ: elsewhere/about other things
• anyataḥ: Kriya-Visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (Tasil suffix)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yāti: goes
• yāti: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: Active, Lat Lakara (Present), 3rd Person, Singular

• narakam: to hell
• narakam: Karma (Destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• tat: therefore
• tat: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• ekāgramanāḥ: one-pointed mind/focused
• ekāgramanāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekāgramanas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• bhavet: should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhilin (Potential), 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the teaching within the Narada Purana discourse-tradition

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It treats sacred listening (śravaṇa) as a disciplined spiritual act: disrupting satkathā with idle talk is presented as a serious dharmic fault, while one-pointed attention is upheld as the proper inner posture.

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

Bhakti is strengthened through focused hearing of sacred narratives; the verse implies that devotion is not casual entertainment but reverent śravaṇa requiring ekāgratā, which protects the mind from distraction and disrespect.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights practical discipline of recitation/hearing culture (linked to Śikṣā—proper conduct around sound and sacred instruction): maintain silence, avoid cross-talk, and attend carefully so the teaching is received without distortion.