Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

ततः सहस्त्रजन्मानि मृगाद्याः पशवो नृप । शताब्दं स्थावराश्चैव ततो गोधाशरीरिणः ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ sahastrajanmāni mṛgādyāḥ paśavo nṛpa | śatābdaṃ sthāvarāścaiva tato godhāśarīriṇaḥ || 58 ||

Translation

তদনন্তৰ, হে নৃপ, সি হৰিণ আদি পশুযোনিত সহস্রবার জন্ম লয়; তাৰ পাছত শতবছৰ স্থাবৰ-যোনিত (উদ্ভিদৰূপে) থাকে; তাৰ পিছত গোধাৰ সদৃশ দেহ লাভ কৰে।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण-भाव (contextual adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (temporal/sequence adverb)

• सहस्त्र-जन्मानि: a thousand births
• सहस्त्र-जन्मानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound)

• मृग-आद्याः: those beginning with deer (deer etc.)
• मृग-आद्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आदि-शब्देन ‘beginning with’)

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• नृप: O king
• नृप: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• शत-अब्दम्: a hundred years
• शत-अब्दम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• स्थावराः: immobile beings (plants etc.)
• स्थावराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: विशेषण-भाव (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण-भाव (contextual adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (sequence adverb)

• गोधा-शरीरिणः: those having the body of an iguana (godhā)
• गोधा-शरीरिणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोधा (प्रातिपदिक) + शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गोधायाः शरीरं यस्य/ये)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; narrative addressed to a king within the account)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the gravity of karmic bondage: the jīva may undergo prolonged, repetitive births in lower yonis (animals, plants, reptiles) before regaining higher embodiment, urging urgency for dharma and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By highlighting the suffering and delay inherent in saṃsāra, the verse indirectly motivates turning to Hari/Vishnu-bhakti as a liberating refuge that cuts through the cycle of repeated births.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical—align conduct with dharma to avoid karmic descent into lower births.