Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Hari-nāma Mahimā and Caraṇāmṛta: The Redemption of the Hunter Gulika

Uttaṅka Itihāsa

Devanagari script

अहो ममायुः क्षयमेति शीघ्रं पापान्यनेकानि समर्ज्जितानि । प्रातिक्रिया नैव कृता मयैषां गतिश्च का स्यान्ममजन्म किं वा ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

aho mamāyuḥ kṣayameti śīghraṃ pāpānyanekāni samarjjitāni | prātikriyā naiva kṛtā mayaiṣāṃ gatiśca kā syānmamajanma kiṃ vā || 57 ||

Translation

Weh mir! Mein Lebensmaß schwindet rasch dahin, und viele Sünden habe ich angehäuft. Keine Sühne habe ich dafür vollzogen—welches Geschick wird mir zuteil, und welche Wiedergeburt werde ich erlangen?

Word by Word

• अहो: alas!/oh!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्गार/विस्मयार्थक अव्यय (interjection/exclamation)

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षयम्: to destruction / to end
• क्षयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एति: goes/approaches
• एति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अनेकानि: many
• अनेकानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण of पापानि

• समर्जितानि: accumulated/committed
• समर्जितानि: Karma-visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्ज् (धातु) → समर्जित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agrees with पापानि

• प्रातिक्रिया: remedial act / atonement
• प्रातिक्रिया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समास: प्रति-क्रिया (counter-action/remedy)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कृता: done
• कृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with प्रातिक्रिया

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); refers to पापानि

• गतिः: course/destiny
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• का: what? (which?)
• का: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• स्यात्: might be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karta/Karma (कर्ता/कर्म; in question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Narada (inquiry/inner lament within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It voices the classical Purāṇic awakening (saṃvega): awareness that life is short, karma is real, and without prāyaścitta (remedial practice) one’s gati (post-death course) and rebirth are shaped by accumulated pāpa.

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

By highlighting helplessness before time and karma, the verse prepares the mind for taking refuge in a higher remedy—typically taught in the Narada Purana as devotion and surrender to Bhagavān (especially Viṣṇu) along with purifying disciplines.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Dharma-śāstric prāyaścitta principles (ritual and ethical countermeasures to pāpa). While not a technical Vedāṅga lesson itself, it leads into applied ritual knowledge—vows (vrata), japa, dāna, and expiatory rites used for purification.