Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

यदि क्रोधादिदुष्टात्मा पूजाध्यानपरो भवेत् । न तस्य तुष्यते विष्णुर्यतो धर्मपतिः स्मृतः ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

yadi krodhādiduṣṭātmā pūjādhyānaparo bhavet | na tasya tuṣyate viṣṇuryato dharmapatiḥ smṛtaḥ || 38 ||

Translation

Even if one is devoted to worship and meditation, if the inner nature is tainted by anger and the like, Viṣṇu is not pleased with him, for Viṣṇu is remembered as the Lord of Dharma.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तसूचक-अव्यय)

• krodha-ādi-duṣṭa-ātmā: one whose mind/self is corrupted by anger etc.
• krodha-ādi-duṣṭa-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + duṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—क्रोधादिभिः दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य (तत्पुरुष-समास, बहुपद)

• pūjā-dhyāna-paraḥ: devoted to worship and meditation
• pūjā-dhyāna-paraḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular; विशेषण; समासः—पूजाध्याने परः (तत्पुरुष)

• bhavet: may be / should become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6th), Singular; pronoun

• tuṣyate: is pleased
• tuṣyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), 3rd person, Singular; ātmanepada; passive/intransitive sense ‘is pleased’

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Causal indeclinable (हेतु-अव्यय)

• dharma-patiḥ: lord of dharma
• dharma-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—धर्मस्य पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered/considered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used predicatively

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada in the dharma-bhakti discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that external devotion (pūjā, dhyāna) must be grounded in dharma and inner purification; anger-driven conduct contradicts the very Lord being worshiped, who is Dharma’s master.

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

Bhakti is not only ritual performance but a transformation of character—control of krodha and allied faults is essential for devotion to become pleasing to Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes prayoga (right application) of ritual and discipline: worship must align with dharma and sadācāra (ethical conduct); otherwise the intended fruit of pūjā is obstructed by inner doṣas like anger.