Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 76

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

अनावृष्टभयं प्राप्ता गगनासक्तदृष्टयः । भविष्यंति कलौ मर्त्यासर्वे क्षुद्भयकातराः ॥ ७६ ॥

Transliteration

anāvṛṣṭabhayaṃ prāptā gaganāsaktadṛṣṭayaḥ | bhaviṣyaṃti kalau martyāsarve kṣudbhayakātarāḥ || 76 ||

Translation

কলিযুগে মানুষেরা অনাবৃষ্টির ভয়ে ভীত হবে, তাদের দৃষ্টি আকাশের দিকে নিবদ্ধ থাকবে এবং সকলে ক্ষুধার ভয়ে কাতর হবে।

Word by Word

• अनावृष्ट-भयम्: fear of drought
• अनावृष्ट-भयम्: हेतु/निमित्त (कारणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनावृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘अनावृष्टेः भयम्’

• प्राप्ताः: having obtained / having come to
• प्राप्ताः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त; √प्राप् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; predicative adjective agreeing with subject

• गगन-आसक्त-दृष्टयः: those whose eyes are fixed on the sky
• गगन-आसक्त-दृष्टयः: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त; √सञ्ज्/√सज् धातु) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘गगने आसक्ता दृष्टयः’

• भविष्यन्ति: will be / will become
• भविष्यन्ति: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: अधिकरण (स्थान/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (adjective) of मर्त्याः

• क्षुत्-भय-कातराः: distressed by hunger and fear
• क्षुत्-भय-कातराः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कातर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः: ‘क्षुत्या भयेन च कातराः’ (hungry and fearful/afflicted by fear)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (in dialogue with Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Kali

FAQs

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

It marks drought and hunger as outward signs of Kali-yuga decline, reminding seekers that material instability is inherent to the age and that steadiness in dharma and devotion is the true refuge.

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

By depicting pervasive fear (of drought and hunger), the verse implicitly points to bhakti as the stabilizing shelter when worldly supports fail—turning the mind from anxious sky-watching to remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it relates to Jyotiṣa and seasonal observation (rainfall cycles and omens), since communities anxiously watch the sky for rains; however, the verse emphasizes the lived consequence—food insecurity—rather than a technical vedāṅga rule.