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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

Dhvaja-Dhāraṇa Mahātmyam: Sumati–Satyamatī, Humility, and Deliverance by Hari’s Messengers

विवेकस्त्रिषु लोकेषु संपदामादिकारणम् । अपापे पापधीर्यस्तु तं विद्यात्पुरुषाधमम् ॥ ५९ ॥

vivekastriṣu lokeṣu saṃpadāmādikāraṇam | apāpe pāpadhīryastu taṃ vidyātpuruṣādhamam || 59 ||

En los tres mundos, el discernimiento (viveka) es la causa primera de toda verdadera prosperidad. Mas quien sospecha pecado donde no lo hay, debe ser tenido por el más vil de los hombres.

vivekaḥdiscernment
vivekaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootviveka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
triṣuin three
triṣu:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (प्रातिपदिक)
Form(All genders), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral adjective
lokeṣuworlds
lokeṣu:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)
saṃpadāmof prosperities/fortunes
saṃpadām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṃpad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
ādi-kāraṇamthe primary cause
ādi-kāraṇam:
Predicate (विशेष्य-विशेषण/समानााधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootādi (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: ādi eva kāraṇam (the primary cause)
apāpein the sinless (one)
apāpe:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Roota-pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘in the sinless (person/case)’
pāpa-dhīḥsinful intent
pāpa-dhīḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: pāpā dhīḥ (sinful thought/intellect)
yaḥwho
yaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormRelative pronoun (यद्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), adversative/emphatic
tamhim
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
vidyātshould know/consider
vidyāt:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvid (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
puruṣa-adhamamthe vilest man
puruṣa-adhamam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: puruṣeṣu adhamaḥ (lowest among men)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Upadesha dialogue)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

It declares viveka (clear discernment) as the root of genuine well-being and spiritual progress, and warns that mislabeling the blameless as sinful is a grave moral fall that destroys dharmic clarity.

Bhakti requires pure intention and right judgment—viveka helps a devotee avoid slander, suspicion, and fault-finding, thereby protecting devotion through humility, truthfulness, and respectful conduct toward others.

The verse emphasizes ethical discernment rather than a specific Vedanga technique; practically, it aligns with dharma-guided reasoning used in Smriti/Nyaya-like judgment—distinguishing real fault from imagined fault before speech or action.