Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

पर्णरसापहरणं स्वर्णस्तेयसमं स्मृतम् । पितृयज्ञपरित्यागो धर्मकार्यविलोपनम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

parṇarasāpaharaṇaṃ svarṇasteyasamaṃ smṛtam | pitṛyajñaparityāgo dharmakāryavilopanam || 38 ||

Translation

Der Diebstahl von Blattsaft gilt als gleichbedeutend mit dem Diebstahl von Gold. Ebenso kommt das Aufgeben des Ahnenopfers (Pitr-yajna) der Zerstörung der religiösen Pflicht gleich.

Word by Word

• पर्णरस: leaf-juice
• पर्णरस: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-अर्थ/Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (compound stem used as पूर्वपद)

• अपहरणम्: taking away; theft
• अपहरणम्: कर्ता-निर्देश (विषय/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप-√हृ (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (act-noun)

• स्वर्णस्तेयसमम्: equal to gold-theft
• स्वर्णस्तेयसमम्: विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विशेष्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (समम् = equal)

• स्मृतम्: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतम्: क्रिया (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is considered/remembered’

• पितृयज्ञ: ancestral rite (pitṛ-yajña)
• पितृयज्ञ: सम्बन्ध (Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (compound stem used as पूर्वपद)

• परित्यागः: abandonment
• परित्यागः: कर्ता-निर्देश (विषय/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-√त्यज् (धातु) + घञ् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (act-noun)

• धर्मकार्य: religious duty/act
• धर्मकार्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitival relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (compound stem used as पूर्वपद)

• विलोपनम्: removal; omission
• विलोपनम्: कर्ता-निर्देश (विषय/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-√लुप् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (act-noun)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dharma discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs (Ancestors)

FAQs

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

It teaches that dharma is measured not only by grand acts but also by integrity in small matters and steadfastness in obligatory rites; even seemingly minor theft and the neglect of pitṛ-yajña are treated as spiritually weighty, producing serious karmic fault.

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

Bhakti is not separated from righteousness: devotion to the Lord is supported by honest conduct and the faithful performance of duties like pitṛ-yajña, which cultivate gratitude, humility, and purity—qualities that stabilize devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (kalpa—proper performance of prescribed rites) is implied: pitṛ-yajña is an obligatory karmakāṇḍa duty, and abandoning it is described as a direct lapse in dharma-kārya (required religious acts).