Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

मा विनाशं व्रज मुने मग्नः संसारगह्वरे । वपुर्विनाशनिलयमापदां परमं पदम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

mā vināśaṃ vraja mune magnaḥ saṃsāragahvare | vapurvināśanilayamāpadāṃ paramaṃ padam || 31 ||

Translation

O Weiser, geh nicht dem Verderben entgegen, auch wenn du im tiefen Schlund des Saṃsāra versunken bist. Dieser Leib ist eine Wohnstatt des Verfalls und der höchste Sitz der Heimsuchungen.

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• विनाशम्: destruction
• विनाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• व्रज: go
• व्रज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• मग्नः: sunk/immersed
• मग्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मग्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• संसार-गह्वरे: in the abyss of worldly existence
• संसार-गह्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘संसारस्य गह्वरम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वपुः-विनाश-निलयम्: the abode of the destruction of the body
• वपुः-विनाश-निलयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला: ‘वपुषः विनाशस्य निलयम्’ (abode of bodily destruction); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• आपदाम्: of calamities
• आपदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• परमम्: highest/ultimate
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada Muni in instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It presses the urgency of vairāgya: recognizing saṁsāra as a dangerous abyss and the body as inherently perishable, one should turn away from self-destruction and seek the path leading to liberation.

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

By exposing the body and worldly immersion as a ‘seat of calamities,’ the verse prepares the mind for śaraṇāgati (taking refuge). In the Narada Purana’s devotional frame, such dispassion supports steady Vishnu-bhakti as the safe refuge from saṁsāra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discipline—cultivating discernment (viveka) and dispassion (vairāgya), which undergird all scriptural study and practice.