Shloka 49

Kāṣṭhīla-Upākhyāna: Rākṣasī, Spear-Śakti, and Kāśī as Śakti-kṣetra

Devanagari script

आपवर्ग्यः स्मृतो धर्मो धनं धर्मैकसाधनम् । तन्मया साधितो धर्मः सर्वोत्तमधनात्मना ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

āpavargyaḥ smṛto dharmo dhanaṃ dharmaikasādhanam | tanmayā sādhito dharmaḥ sarvottamadhanātmanā || 49 ||

Translation

Man erinnert sich: Dharma ist das, was zur Befreiung führt, und Reichtum ist das einzige Mittel, Dharma zu üben. Darum habe ich jenen Dharma verwirklicht, denn meinem Wesen nach bin ich selbst der höchste Reichtum.

Word by Word

• āpavargyaḥ: leading to liberation (apavarga)
• āpavargyaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āpavargya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies dharmaḥ

• smṛtaḥ: is declared/remembered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (स्मृ धातु) → smṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used predicatively with dharmaḥ (‘is said/remembered’)

• dharmaḥ: dharma/righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• dhanam: wealth
• dhanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (also could be Accusative; here predicate nominative)

• dharma-eka-sādhanam: the sole means to dharma
• dharma-eka-sādhanam: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (with eka as qualifier); Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies dhanam

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of sādhitaḥ (understood ‘that [dharma]’)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥-karaṇa (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• sādhitaḥ: was accomplished/practised
• sādhitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sādh (साध् धातु) → sādhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with dharmaḥ

• dharmaḥ: dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sarva-uttama-dhana-ātmanā: by me whose very self is the highest wealth
• sarva-uttama-dhana-ātmanā: Kartr̥-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (multi-member); Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; qualifies mayā (‘by me, whose nature is…’)

Speaker

Narada (didactic voice within the Uttara-Bhaga narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Apavarga

FAQs

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

It frames dharma as ultimately moksha-oriented (āpavargya) and teaches that artha (wealth) is valuable when treated as a tool to uphold dharma, not as an end in itself.

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

By implying right use of wealth in dharmic acts—such as offerings, charity, temple and tīrtha support—this verse supports bhakti as disciplined service, where resources are dedicated to the highest aim (liberation).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga is taught directly; the practical takeaway is dharma-śāstra reasoning—artha must be regulated and deployed for prescribed duties like dāna (charity), yajña-support, and tīrtha-related observances.