Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 108
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
भवेद्यदि खलस्य श्रीः सैव लोकविनाशिनी । यथा सखाग्नेः पवनः पन्नगस्य यथा विषम् ॥ १०८ ॥
bhavedyadi khalasya śrīḥ saiva lokavināśinī | yathā sakhāgneḥ pavanaḥ pannagasya yathā viṣam || 108 ||
إذا نالت الشريرَ ثروةٌ ونعمةٌ، صارت تلك النعمةُ نفسها مُهلكةً للعالم—كما أن الريحَ عونٌ للنار، وكما أن السُّمَّ من شأن الحيّة.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a didactic dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It warns that wealth magnifies one’s inner nature: in the hands of the wicked it becomes a force of harm, so spiritual life requires purification of intention (bhāva) and conduct (ācāra) before seeking prosperity.
Bhakti disciplines desire and ego, turning prosperity into an offering to the Divine rather than a tool for dominance; without devotion and virtue, “Śrī” tends to feed pride and violence, leading to collective suffering.
A practical takeaway aligned with Dharma-śāstra reasoning (often supported by Vyākaraṇa-based precision in defining terms like śrī, khala, vināśa) is ethical discernment: assess character before empowering someone with resources, since power intensifies existing tendencies.