Shloka 41

Dharmāṅgada’s Discourse (Dharmāṅgadopadeśa) in the Mohinī Episode

Devanagari script

दुर्लभः शौकरे वासो दुर्लभं हरिचिन्तनम् । दुर्लभो जागरो विष्णोर्दुर्लभा ह्यात्मसत्क्रिया ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

durlabhaḥ śaukare vāso durlabhaṃ haricintanam | durlabho jāgaro viṣṇordurlabhā hyātmasatkriyā || 41 ||

Translation

শৌকর নামে পবিত্র স্থানে বাস দুর্লভ, আর হরি-চিন্তনও দুর্লভ। বিষ্ণুর জন্য জাগরণ দুর্লভ, এবং আত্মসৎক্রিয়া—অন্তরের সত্য সাধনাসহ সদাচার—ও দুর্লভ।

Word by Word

• durlabhaḥ: rare
• durlabhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śaukare: in/at the boar (form)
• śaukare: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaukara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka (contextual), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; ‘śūkara-sambandhi’ (pertaining to boar)

• vāsaḥ: dwelling, residence
• vāsaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• durlabham: rare
• durlabham: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; predicative with ‘cintanam’

• hari-cintanam: meditation on Hari
• hari-cintanam: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + cintana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa ‘hareḥ cintanam’ (meditation on Hari)

• durlabhaḥ: rare
• durlabhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• jāgaraḥ: night vigil, wakefulness
• jāgaraḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• durlabhā: rare
• durlabhā: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed; appears as hy- before vowel in sandhi

• ātma-sat-kriyā: true self-discipline / proper conduct
• ātma-sat-kriyā: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + sat (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; multi-member Tatpuruṣa: ‘ātmanaḥ sat-kriyā’ / ‘satī kriyā’ (proper/virtuous conduct of the self)

Speaker

Narada (as a teaching voice within the Narada Purana’s Uttara-Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (jāgaraṇa for Viṣṇu mentioned as a practice, but no named vrata specified)

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"A pilgrimage-tinged longing (rare residence at Śaukara) deepens into inner practice—Hari-contemplation, Viṣṇu-vigil, and finally the hardest: sustained self-discipline and righteous conduct."}

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari

FAQs

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

It ranks four supports of liberation-oriented devotion—living in a holy place, remembering Hari, keeping a Viṣṇu vigil, and sustaining inner righteous discipline—and declares that all are difficult but exceptionally transformative when attained.

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

Bhakti is shown as more than external worship: it includes continuous Hari-chintana and dedicated observances like Viṣṇu-jāgaraṇa, grounded in atmasatkriyā—ethical self-purification that makes devotion steady and fruitful.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily vrata-focused rather than Vedanga-technical: it points to practical discipline (niyama) such as devotional vigils and regulated conduct, which are applied aspects of dharma rather than a direct teaching on Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Śikṣā.