Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

विहाय वेदसन्मार्गं कुपथाचारसंगताः । पाषंडाश्चभविशष्यंतिचतुराश्रमनिंदकाः ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

vihāya vedasanmārgaṃ kupathācārasaṃgatāḥ | pāṣaṃḍāścabhaviśaṣyaṃticaturāśramaniṃdakāḥ || 53 ||

Translation

Indem sie den wahren Pfad der Veden verlassen und sich mit verderbten Bräuchen auf einem Irrweg einlassen, werden sie zu Häretikern und werden die Ordnung der vier Āśramas schmähen.

Word by Word

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/absolutive—prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-हा (धातु) → विहाय (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having abandoned’

• वेद-सन्-मार्गम्: the good path of the Veda
• वेद-सन्-मार्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of विहाय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्/सन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular; समासः—कर्मधारय (सन्मार्गः = good path; ‘Veda-good-path’)

• कु-पथ-आचार-सङ्गताः: associated with wrong conduct and bad paths
• कु-पथ-आचार-सङ्गताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्गत (कृदन्त; सम्+गम् धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; समासः—तत्पुरुष (associated with bad-path conduct)

• पाषण्डाः: heretics
• पाषण्डाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

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

• भविष्यन्ति: will become
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• चतुर्-आश्रम-निन्दकाः: censurers of the four āśramas
• चतुर्-आश्रम-निन्दकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + निन्दक (कृदन्त; निन्द् धातु, ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; समासः—तत्पुरुष (censurers of the four āśramas)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue form)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Caturashrama

FAQs

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

It warns that abandoning Vedic right conduct (sanmārga) and adopting deviant behavior leads to pāṣaṇḍa tendencies—loss of dharmic orientation and contempt for the disciplined life-structure meant to support spiritual progress.

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

Bhakti in the Purāṇic-Vedic frame is grounded in śraddhā, sadācāra, and respect for dharma; this verse cautions that anti-Vedic deviation erodes the ethical and āśrama-based foundation that sustains stable devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse chiefly emphasizes dharma and sadācāra rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it reinforces adherence to Vedic discipline and social-spiritual duties (āśrama-dharma) as the applied framework for ritual and study.