Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

तथा शोणितकूपश्च घोरः शोणितभोजनः । स्वमांसभोजनं चैव वह्निज्वालानिवेशनम् ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

tathā śoṇitakūpaśca ghoraḥ śoṇitabhojanaḥ | svamāṃsabhojanaṃ caiva vahnijvālāniveśanam || 6 ||

Translation

তদ্রূপ ‘শোণিতকূপ’ নামে ভয়ংকর নরক আছে, এবং ‘শোণিতভোজন’; তেমনি ‘স্বমাংসভোজন’ ও ‘বহ্নিজ্বালানিবেশন’ (অগ্নিশিখার মধ্যে বাস)ও আছে।

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (also/likewise)

• śoṇita-kūpaḥ: Śoṇitakūpa (blood-pit)
• śoṇita-kūpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoṇita (प्रातिपदिक) + kūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘pit of blood’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• ghoraḥ: terrible
• ghoraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• śoṇita-bhojanaḥ: Śoṇitabhojana (blood-eating; hell-name)
• śoṇita-bhojanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoṇita (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘eating blood’; hell-name)

• sva-māṃsa-bhojanam: eating one’s own flesh (torture)
• sva-māṃsa-bhojanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘eating one’s own flesh’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• vahni-jvālā-niveśanam: dwelling amid fire-flames (torture)
• vahni-jvālā-niveśanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक) + jvālā (प्रातिपदिक) + niveśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘abode in flames of fire’)

Speaker

Narada (describing the names/nature of narakas within a teaching dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

It underscores the Purāṇic principle that harmful, violent, and impure actions produce corresponding karmic consequences, symbolized here by specific narakas (hell-realms) whose very names reflect the experience of suffering.

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

By vividly contrasting the results of adharma with the implied safety of dharma, it supports the broader Purāṇic message that a life aligned with devotion and righteous conduct protects one from degrading karmic destinations and turns the mind toward purification and remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Dharma-śāstra style moral causality rather than a technical Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway is ethical restraint (ahiṃsā, purity, truthfulness) and corrective expiation (prāyaścitta) as taught in smṛti-purāṇic traditions.