Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge

Jñāna-pradarśanam

Devanagari script

आशा भङ्गकरी पुंसामजेयारातिसन्निभा । तस्मादाशां त्यजेत्प्राज्ञो यदीच्छेच्छाश्वतं सुखम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

āśā bhaṅgakarī puṃsāmajeyārātisannibhā | tasmādāśāṃ tyajetprājño yadīcchecchāśvataṃ sukham || 24 ||

Translation

Hoffnung (weltliche Erwartung) zerschmettert die Menschen und gleicht einem unbezwingbaren Feind. Darum soll der Weise die Hoffnung aufgeben, wenn er ewiges Glück begehrt.

Word by Word

• आशा: hope/desire
• आशा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भङ्ग-करी: causing ruin/breaking
• भङ्ग-करी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + करिन्/करी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भङ्गं करोति इति)

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• अजेय-अराति-सन्निभा: like an unconquerable enemy
• अजेय-अराति-सन्निभा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजेय (प्रातिपदिक) + अराति (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अजेयस्य अरातेः सन्निभा = like an unconquerable enemy)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निपातवत् प्रयोगः; अपादानार्थक (ablative sense)

• आशाम्: hope/desire
• आशाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्राज्ञः: a wise person
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (conditional conjunction)

• इच्छेत्: should desire
• इच्छेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that binding expectation (āśā) is a subtle inner enemy that repeatedly causes disappointment; freedom from such grasping is presented as a direct condition for lasting peace and moksha-oriented happiness.

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

By urging the abandonment of self-centered expectation, the verse supports śuddha-bhakti—devotion offered without bargaining for results—so the mind rests in trust and surrender rather than anxiety about outcomes.

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-spiritual discipline—cultivating vairāgya and reducing expectation to stabilize the mind for sādhana.