Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

Varṇāśrama-ācāra: Common Virtues, Varṇa Duties, and the Four Āśramas

Devanagari script

स्वगृह्यचोदितं कर्मद्विजः कुर्वन्कृती भवेत् । अन्यथा पतितो भूयात्सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

svagṛhyacoditaṃ karmadvijaḥ kurvankṛtī bhavet | anyathā patito bhūyātsarvadharmabahiṣkṛtaḥ || 10 ||

Translation

Ein Dvija (Zweimalgeborener), der die von seiner eigenen Gṛhya-Tradition gebotenen Handlungen vollzieht, wird vollendet; andernfalls wird er zum Gefallenen (patita) und von allen dharmischen Observanzen ausgeschlossen.

Word by Word

• स्वगृह्यचोदितम्: enjoined by one’s gṛhya (domestic) rules
• स्वगृह्यचोदितम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-गृह्य-चोदित (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + गृह्य + चोदित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘चोदित’ = enjoined; तत्पुरुषः (स्वगृह्येण चोदितम् = enjoined by one’s gṛhya/household-śāstra)

• कर्म: duty/act
• कर्म: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brāhmaṇa etc.)
• द्विजः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुर्वन्: doing (performing)
• कुर्वन्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Agent-participle/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कुर्वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘doing/while doing’

• कृती: successful/accomplished
• कृती: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; गुणवाचक विशेषण

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘otherwise’

• पतितः: fallen (from dharma)
• पतितः: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘fallen’

• भूयात्: would become
• भूयात्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः: excluded from all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतः: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-धर्म-बहिष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + धर्म + बहिष्कृत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (कृत) ‘excluded’; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेभ्यः धर्मेभ्यः बहिष्कृतः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma-instruction context; dialogue tradition associated with Sanatkumara lineages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes dharmic integrity: spiritual progress is linked to faithfully performing one’s prescribed household rites (gṛhya-karmas), and neglect leads to a fall from the dharmic path.

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

By insisting on disciplined adherence to enjoined duties, it frames bhakti as grounded in dharma—devotion is strengthened when daily life and ritual obligations are honored rather than ignored.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the Gṛhya-sūtras—knowing the correct, tradition-specific method for domestic samskāras and rites.