Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala

Devanagari script

गायकाः काव्यकर्त्तारो भिषक्छास्त्रोपजीविनः । वेदनिंदापरश्चैव ग्रामापण्यप्रदाहकः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

gāyakāḥ kāvyakarttāro bhiṣakchāstropajīvinaḥ | vedaniṃdāparaścaiva grāmāpaṇyapradāhakaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

Singers, makers of poetry, those who live by the medical sciences, those devoted to reviling the Veda, and the one who sets fire to a village market—these are counted among the condemned kinds.

Word by Word

• gāyakāḥ: singers
• gāyakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kāvya-karttāraḥ: poem-makers, authors
• kāvya-karttāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāvya (प्रातिपदिक) + kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘काव्यस्य कर्तारः’

• bhiṣak-śāstra-upajīvinaḥ: those who live by medical treatises/medicine
• bhiṣak-śāstra-upajīvinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhiṣak (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + upajīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘भिषक्शास्त्रेण उपजीवन्ति’

• veda-nindā-paraḥ: one devoted to criticizing the Vedas
• veda-nindā-paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + nindā (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘वेदनिन्दायां परः’ (devoted to Veda-censure)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• grāma-āpaṇya-pradāhakaḥ: burner of village/market goods
• grāma-āpaṇya-pradāhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāma (प्रातिपदिक) + āpaṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘ग्रामस्य आपण्यस्य प्रदाहकः’ (burner of village/market goods)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

It warns that certain pursuits become spiritually degrading when they are tied to harmful conduct, irreverence toward the Veda, or public injury—thereby obstructing dharma and inner purity.

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

Bhakti rests on śraddhā and reverence for śāstra; reviling the Veda and harming society contradicts the sattvic foundation required for steady devotion to Vishnu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse indirectly emphasizes śāstra-prāmāṇya (scriptural authority) and disciplined sadācāra—key prerequisites for applying Vedic learning (including ritual and auxiliary sciences) without falling into misuse or irreverence.