Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

निर्बीजः सिद्विहीनश्च मंदः कूटो निरंशकः । सत्त्वहीनः केकरश्च बीजहीनश्च धूमितः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

nirbījaḥ sidvihīnaśca maṃdaḥ kūṭo niraṃśakaḥ | sattvahīnaḥ kekaraśca bījahīnaśca dhūmitaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

(ومثلُ هذا) بلا بذر، خالٍ من تمام الإنجاز، بليد، معوجّ، بلا الأجزاء اللائقة، فاقدٌ للحيوية (سَتْفَه)، مشوَّه الخِلقة؛ ثم هو أيضًا بلا بذر، مُلطَّخ بالدخان مُعتمٌ.

Word by Word

• nir-bījaḥ: seedless
• nir-bījaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir- + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (nominative/1st), Ekavacana (singular); nañ/niḥ-upasarga-samāsa sense: ‘without seed’

• sid-vihīnaḥ: devoid of ‘sid’ (technical term)
• sid-vihīnaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sid (प्रातिपदिक; obscure/technical) + vihīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; X-vihīna = ‘devoid of X’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/particle)

• mandaḥ: dull, slow
• mandaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kūṭaḥ: crooked, deceptive
• kūṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kūṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nir-aṃśakaḥ: without a part/portion
• nir-aṃśakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir- + aṃśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; nir- = ‘without’

• sattva-hīnaḥ: lacking sattva/strength
• sattva-hīnaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; X-hīna = ‘lacking X’

• kekaraḥ: squint-eyed/irregular-eyed
• kekaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kekara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• bīja-hīnaḥ: devoid of seed
• bīja-hīnaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• dhūmitaḥ: smoky, smoke-covered
• dhūmitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhūmita (धूमित, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from √dhūm/धूम्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Kta-pratyaya (past participle)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/diagnostic listing within Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

It stresses discernment (viveka) in Dharma: what is offered, used, or relied upon should be fit, complete, and vital—defective or impure things obstruct auspicious results.

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

Bhakti values sincerity and purity; this list functions as a caution that blemished or unsuitable supports (materials, conduct, or mindset) weaken devotional practice and its fruit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Lakṣaṇa-based technical evaluation—using precise Sanskrit descriptors to classify defects—supports ritual correctness and shastric decision-making in applied Vedic disciplines.