Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58
Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy
ततः सहस्त्रजन्मानि मृगाद्याः पशवो नृप । शताब्दं स्थावराश्चैव ततो गोधाशरीरिणः ॥ ५८ ॥
tataḥ sahastrajanmāni mṛgādyāḥ paśavo nṛpa | śatābdaṃ sthāvarāścaiva tato godhāśarīriṇaḥ || 58 ||
Thereafter, O king, one is born a thousand times among animals such as deer and the like; then for a hundred years one remains among the immobile beings (plants). After that, one obtains a body like that of a godhā (lizard).
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; narrative addressed to a king within the account)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It emphasizes the gravity of karmic bondage: the jīva may undergo prolonged, repetitive births in lower yonis (animals, plants, reptiles) before regaining higher embodiment, urging urgency for dharma and liberation-oriented practice.
By highlighting the suffering and delay inherent in saṃsāra, the verse indirectly motivates turning to Hari/Vishnu-bhakti as a liberating refuge that cuts through the cycle of repeated births.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical—align conduct with dharma to avoid karmic descent into lower births.