Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 73

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

तडिल्लोलश्रिया मत्ताः क्षणभङ्गुरशालिनः । नाराधयन्ति विश्वेशं पशुपाशविमोचकम् ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

taḍillolaśriyā mattāḥ kṣaṇabhaṅguraśālinaḥ | nārādhayanti viśveśaṃ paśupāśavimocakam || 73 ||

Translation

Intoxicated by prosperity that flickers like lightning, and bearing wealth that perishes in a moment, they do not worship the Lord of the universe—the Liberator who frees beings from the bonds of worldly attachment.

Word by Word

• taḍit-lola-śriyā: by lightning-fickle prosperity
• taḍit-lola-śriyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taḍit (प्रातिपदिक) + lola (प्रातिपदिक) + śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: तडितेव लोला या श्रीः = ‘fickle like lightning’

• mattāḥ: intoxicated/deluded
• mattāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; predicate adjective of implied ‘people’

• kṣaṇa-bhaṅgura-śālinaḥ: possessing momentary, perishable (wealth)
• kṣaṇa-bhaṅgura-śālinaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaṅgura (प्रातिपदिक) + śālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: क्षणभङ्गुरं (क्षणे भङ्गुरम्) यस्य तत् शीलं/धनं तेन शालिनः = ‘possessing what perishes in a moment’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ārādhayanti: worship/propitiate
• ārādhayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + rādh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• viśveśam: the Lord of the universe
• viśveśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: विश्वस्य ईशः

• paśu-pāśa-vimocakam: the releaser from the animal-bonds
• paśu-pāśa-vimocakam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vimocaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: पशूनां पाशः तस्मात् विमोचयति इति = ‘liberator from the bonds of creatures’ (epithet of Viśveśa)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vairagya (shanta)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishvesha (Lord of the Universe)

FAQs

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

It warns that fascination with fleeting prosperity blinds a person to true refuge—worship of the Supreme Lord who alone can cut the binding “pāśa” of worldly attachment and lead to moksha.

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

Bhakti is presented as turning away from intoxication with unstable gains and actively revering the Lord (Viśveśa); devotion becomes the means by which the soul is freed from binding ties (paśupāśa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discernment (viveka) about impermanence, which supports disciplined practice of worship and vows.