Shloka 10

Yama-vilāpana

The Lamentation Concerning Yama

Devanagari script

सर्वदुःखविनाशाय मात्रृजातो गुणाधिकः । किमपत्येन जातेन मातुः क्लेशकरेण हि ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

sarvaduḥkhavināśāya mātrṛjāto guṇādhikaḥ | kimapatyena jātena mātuḥ kleśakareṇa hi || 10 ||

Translation

Better is a child born with superior virtues, for the destruction of all suffering; for what use is a son who, though born, only becomes a cause of anguish to his mother?

Word by Word

• सर्वदुःखविनाशाय: for the destruction of all sorrows
• सर्वदुःखविनाशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + दुःख + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समाससमूह: सर्वेषां दुःखानां विनाशः; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• मातृजातः: born of a mother
• मातृजातः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातृ + जात (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: मातुः जातः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुणाधिकः: superior in virtues
• गुणाधिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: गुणैः अधिकः/गुणेषु अधिकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object) (in rhetorical question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अपत्येन: with/through a child; by offspring
• अपत्येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• जातेन: born (as such)
• जातेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त) used adjectivally; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (agreeing with अपत्येन)

• मातुः: of the mother
• मातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• क्लेशकरेण: causing distress
• क्लेशकरेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लेश + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: क्लेशं करोति इति; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to अपत्येन)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), बलार्थ/हेतु

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Mother (mātṛ)

FAQs

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

It measures the worth of progeny by guṇa (virtue) and dharmic impact: a truly meaningful child reduces suffering and supports righteousness, while a harmful child negates the purpose of birth.

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

By implying that true virtue includes compassion and service, the verse aligns with bhakti’s ethic of reducing others’ distress—especially honoring and caring for one’s mother as a form of dharmic devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points indirectly to Dharma grounded in samskāra and śikṣā (right training/discipline): character-formation is the practical takeaway rather than a technical rule of vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.