Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 108
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
गुर्ववज्ञा कृतायेन राक्षसंत्वे नियुक्तवान् । ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतो वापि योऽवज्ञां कुरुते गुरोः ॥ ८ ॥
gurvavajñā kṛtāyena rākṣasaṃtve niyuktavān | jñānato'jñānato vāpi yo'vajñāṃ kurute guroḥ || 8 ||
Quien ha cometido desprecio hacia el gurú ha sido destinado al estado de rākṣasa. Sea con conocimiento o sin él, quien falta al respeto al maestro incurre en esta grave consecuencia.
Narada (teaching in the Purva-bhaga dialogue context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It establishes guru-sammāna (reverence for the teacher) as a foundational dharmic discipline and warns that contempt for the guru destroys spiritual merit and leads to degraded states of existence.
Bhakti is grounded in humility and right conduct; honoring the guru safeguards transmission of mantra, śāstra, and devotion, while guru-avajñā undermines the very channel through which bhakti is cultivated.
It emphasizes śiṣya-ācāra (student discipline) central to śikṣā and vyākaraṇa-based study traditions: learning requires proper respect for the ācārya, without which study and recitation lose their sanctifying power.