Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
तच्छुत्वोवाच भूपालं मुनिर्निःश्वस्य दुःखितः । आत्मानं गर्हयामास ह्यविवेकपरायणम् ॥ ३९ ॥
tacchutvovāca bhūpālaṃ munirniḥśvasya duḥkhitaḥ | ātmānaṃ garhayāmāsa hyavivekaparāyaṇam || 39 ||
Als er dies hörte, sprach der Muni, bekümmert und seufzend, zum König und begann sich selbst zu tadeln, weil er sich dem Mangel an Unterscheidung hingegeben hatte.
Muni (sage) addressing the king (Bhūpāla)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It highlights viveka (discernment) as a core spiritual faculty: when insight dawns, the wise feel remorse for earlier aviveka and turn inward to correct themselves before instructing others.
Bhakti in the Purāṇic sense is strengthened by discernment; the sage’s self-censure shows that devotion should be guided by clear understanding, not by impulsive or confused judgment.
The verse emphasizes ethical and mental discipline rather than a specific Vedāṅga; its practical takeaway is the cultivation of viveka—an essential prerequisite for applying śāstric learning (like Vyākaraṇa or Kalpa) correctly.