Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 93

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

कालसूत्रे महाघोरे स वसेद्दिचतुर्युगम् । अयोनौ च वियोनौ च पशुयोनौ च यो नरः ॥ ९३ ॥

Transliteration

kālasūtre mahāghore sa vaseddicaturyugam | ayonau ca viyonau ca paśuyonau ca yo naraḥ || 93 ||

Translation

مَن سقط في ولادةٍ بلا رحم، أو ولادةٍ مشوّهةٍ ناقصة، أو في رحمِ الحيوان، فإنه يمكث في الجحيم المروّع المسمّى «كالاسوترا» (Kālasūtra) مدةَ مجموعتين من أربعة يوجا.

Word by Word

• कालसूत्रे: in the Kālasūtra (hell)
• कालसूत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालसूत्र (प्रातिपदिक; काल + सूत्र)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• महाघोरे: very terrible
• महाघोरे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाघोर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + घोर)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with कालसूत्रे

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• द्वि-चतुर्युगम्: for two caturyugas
• द्वि-चतुर्युगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्युग (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + युग)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); duration-object

• अयोनौ: in a non-womb (improper) birth
• अयोनौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोनि (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + योनि)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• वियोनौ: in a perverted/aberrant womb
• वियोनौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियोनि (प्रातिपदिक; वि- + योनि)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• पशुयोनौ: in an animal womb
• पशुयोनौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुयोनि (प्रातिपदिक; पशु + योनि)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); in apposition to यः

Speaker

Sage Narada (narrating karmic consequences in a didactic section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kālasūtra (Naraka)

FAQs

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

It warns that adharma can push the jīva into lower states of embodiment (ayonija/defective/animal yoni) and prolonged suffering in Kālasūtra, urging a return to dharma, self-restraint, and purification.

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

By highlighting the terror of naraka and degraded births, the verse indirectly motivates taking refuge in sāttvika living and devotion to Hari/Vishnu as a protective discipline that counters sinful tendencies and supports liberation-oriented conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily reflects Dharma-śāstra style moral causality (karma-phala) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it supports ethical restraint and prāyaścitta-oriented living as part of Vedic discipline.