Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

अथ शिरःशोषणं च मरुत्प्रपतनं तथा । तथा पाशाणवर्णं च कृमिभोजनमेव च ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

atha śiraḥśoṣaṇaṃ ca marutprapatanaṃ tathā | tathā pāśāṇavarṇaṃ ca kṛmibhojanameva ca || 8 ||

Translation

Dann treten Trockenheit des Kopfes, Zusammenbruch durch den Wind, eine steinartige Verfärbung und sogar das Gefressenwerden von Würmern auf.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/now-then marker)

• शिरः-शोषणम्: drying of the head
• शिरः-शोषणम्: Karma (कर्म/thing described)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक; √शुष् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मरुत्-प्रपतनम्: falling in the wind / being cast down by wind
• मरुत्-प्रपतनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपतन (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् (धातु) + ल्युट्, प्र-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (in like manner/also)

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

• पाशाण-वर्णम्: stone-like color
• पाशाण-वर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाशाण (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (stone-like color)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• कृमि-भोजनम्: eating worms / worms as food
• कृमि-भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक; √भुज् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (food of worms / eating worms)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only/indeed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

The verse lists terrifying bodily conditions as indicators of extreme suffering tied to adharma and karmic affliction, urging the listener toward purification, dharmic living, and remedial rites.

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

By highlighting the misery that follows severe impurity and wrongdoing, it indirectly motivates refuge in dharma and devotion—turning the mind toward Bhagavan as the ultimate shelter beyond bodily decay.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects traditional diagnostic observation (nimitta-lakṣaṇa) and a vāyu-based bodily understanding aligned with classical Indic medical-ritual culture, often paired with prayāścitta and dharmic regulation.