Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma

Devanagari script

पाशेन यंत्रिताः केचित्कृष्यमाणास्तथांकुशैः । शास्त्रास्त्रैस्ताड्यमानाश्च पृष्टतो यांति पापिनः ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

pāśena yaṃtritāḥ kecitkṛṣyamāṇāstathāṃkuśaiḥ | śāstrāstraistāḍyamānāśca pṛṣṭato yāṃti pāpinaḥ || 12 ||

Translation

Manche Sünder, fest mit Schlingen gebunden, werden mit Stacheln geschleift; von hinten mit Waffen geschlagen, werden die Bösen vorwärts getrieben.

Word by Word

• पाशेन: by a noose
• पाशेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; (masculine, instrumental singular)

• यन्त्रिताः: restrained, bound
• यन्त्रिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यन्त्रि (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (past passive participle, masculine nominative plural)

• केचित्: some (persons)
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; (pronoun 'some', masculine nominative plural)

• कृष्यमाणाः: being dragged
• कृष्यमाणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (present passive participle, masculine nominative plural)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/also')

• अङ्कुशैः: with goads
• अङ्कुशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; (masculine, instrumental plural)

• शस्त्रास्त्रैः: with weapons and missiles
• शस्त्रास्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative: 'weapons and missiles'); (neuter, instrumental plural)

• ताड्यमानाः: being beaten
• ताड्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (present passive participle, masculine nominative plural)

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

• पृष्ठतः: from behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्/स्थानवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'from behind/behind')

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; (present indicative, 3rd person plural, active)

• पापिनः: sinners
• पापिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; (masculine, nominative plural)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karma-phala: sinful actions (pāpa) culminate in forced suffering and humiliation after death, urging a life aligned with dharma and purification.

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

By portraying the grim fate of the unrepentant, it indirectly motivates refuge in Vishnu-bhakti and dharmic living as protective disciplines that reduce pāpa and its consequences.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline (dharma) to avoid pāpa that leads to Naraka.