Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

क्रूरे कर्माणि चाग्नेयाः सौम्याः सौम्य फलप्रदाः । शांतज्ञानेतिरौद्रेयशांतिजाति समन्वितः ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

krūre karmāṇi cāgneyāḥ saumyāḥ saumya phalapradāḥ | śāṃtajñānetiraudreyaśāṃtijāti samanvitaḥ || 12 ||

Translation

Grausame, heftige Riten gehören zum Agni-Typ; sanfte Riten schenken sanfte Früchte. Diese Einteilung wird auch als „Śānta“ (befriedend) und „Jñāna“ (Erkenntnis) bezeichnet; und sie ist ferner mit den Ritualarten „Raudra“ (zornig) und „Śānti“ (besänftigend) verbunden.

Word by Word

• krūre: in cruel (rites)
• krūre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); adjectival use qualifying कर्माणि (in/with cruel [rites])

• karmāṇi: acts/rites
• karmāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• āgneyāḥ: agni-related/fiery
• āgneyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āgneya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘of Agni / fiery’ (agni-related)

• saumyāḥ: gentle/benign
• saumyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘gentle/benign’

• saumya: of the gentle (kind)
• saumya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); used as qualifier ‘of the gentle (type)’ for फलप्रदाः

• phalapradāḥ: result-giving
• phalapradāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phala + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: फलस्य प्रदाः = ‘givers of fruit/results’

• śānta: in pacific/peaceful
• śānta: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in pacific/peaceful (state/knowledge)’ (first member of compound)

• jñāna: in knowledge
• jñāna: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in knowledge’ (within compound)

• iti: thus/so-called
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• raudreya: in the fierce (raudra)
• raudreya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raudreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in the raudra (fierce) category’ (within compound)

• śānti: in pacification/peace
• śānti: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in pacification/peace’ (within compound)

• jāti: category/kind
• jāti: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); object of समन्वितः: ‘endowed with (that) kind/category’

• samanvitaḥ: endowed/combined
• samanvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + √i (इ, धातु) + kta (क्त) → samanvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘endowed/combined’

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a Vedanga/ritual-taxonomy context, traditionally in dialogue with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that actions/rites carry a corresponding “type” and therefore a corresponding result: fierce (Agni/raudra) acts generate fierce outcomes, while gentle (saumya/śānta) acts generate gentle, pacifying outcomes—guiding the practitioner to choose rites aligned with intended dharmic ends.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by implying that sāttvika, śānta-oriented worship and conduct produce harmonious spiritual fruits; devotional practice is typically aligned with saumya/śānta dispositions rather than raudra, harm-causing impulses.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical, Vedanga-style categorization of ritual acts (karma) by their nature (Agni/saumya; raudra/śānti) and expected karma-phala, useful for selecting appropriate prayoga (ritual application) and śānti-karmas (appeasing rites).