Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

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

Devanagari script

अनर्प्पितानि कर्माणि भस्मविन्यस्तद्रव्यवत् । नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यं यच्चान्यन्मोक्षमाधनम् ॥ १३७ ॥

Transliteration

anarppitāni karmāṇi bhasmavinyastadravyavat | nityaṃ naimittikaṃ kāmyaṃ yaccānyanmokṣamādhanam || 137 ||

Translation

Handlungen, die dem Herrn nicht dargebracht werden, sind wie Kostbarkeiten, die in Asche niedergelegt sind—sie bleiben ohne Frucht. Ob tägliche Pflichten, gelegentliche Riten, wunschgetriebene Rituale oder andere Übungen, die als Mittel zur Mokṣa gelten: Sinnvoll werden sie nur, wenn sie als Opfergabe geweiht werden.

Word by Word

• an-arpitāni: not offered (to God)
• an-arpitāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nañ (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + arpitāni (arpita; √arp/√ṛp in sense ‘offer/dedicate’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural); नञ्-पूर्वक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (negative PPP): ‘not offered/dedicated’

• karmāṇi: actions
• karmāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhasma-vinyasta-dravya-vat: like a substance placed on ashes
• bhasma-vinyasta-dravya-vat: Upamāna (उपमान/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक) + vinyasta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + dravya (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वतुप्/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (indeclinable comparative: ‘like/as’); तत्पुरुष-समासः (bhasma-vinyasta-dravya = ‘a substance placed on ashes’)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kāla (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया (accusative used adverbially): ‘always’

• naimittikam: occasional (rite)
• naimittikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naimittika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); कर्म-भेदवाचक (type of rite/action)

• kāmyam: desire-motivated (rite)
• kāmyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); इच्छाफलसाधन-कर्म (desire-motivated rite)

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular), सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative pronoun: ‘whatever’)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• anyat: other (thing)
• anyat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• mokṣa-mādhanam: means to liberation
• mokṣa-mādhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + mādhanam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (‘means/instrument of liberation’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that any practice—ritual, duty, or even a liberation-oriented discipline—becomes spiritually effective only when offered with devotion; otherwise it is wasted effort, like wealth thrown into ashes.

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

Bhakti is implied as the consecrating principle: dedicating (arpana) one’s actions to the Lord transforms all karma—nitya, naimittika, and kāmya—into worship and makes it a support for inner purification and liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It classifies Vedic action into nitya, naimittika, and kāmya categories—an applied ritual framework used in Dharmaśāstra and Śrauta/Smārta practice—while stressing that correct intention and dedication are essential for the rite’s true efficacy.