Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23
Śokanivāraṇa: Non-brooding, Impermanence, Contentment, and Śuka’s Renunciation
अपरे निष्फलाः सन्तो निर्गुणाः पुरुषाधमाः । आशाभिरण्यसंयुक्ता दृश्यन्ते सर्वकामिनः ॥ २३ ॥
apare niṣphalāḥ santo nirguṇāḥ puruṣādhamāḥ | āśābhiraṇyasaṃyuktā dṛśyante sarvakāminaḥ || 23 ||
D’autres, au contraire, paraissent sans fruit dans leur vie: dépourvus de vertus, les plus vils des hommes; enlacés d’espoirs et de richesses, poussés par toutes sortes de désirs.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It contrasts the spiritually meaningful life with a “niṣphala” life—one wasted in craving, wealth-attachment, and lack of virtues—thereby urging vairāgya (detachment) as essential for mokṣa.
By exposing the instability of hope-and-wealth driven living, the verse implicitly points to bhakti as a steadier refuge—redirecting desire toward the Divine rather than toward “sarva-kāma” (all worldly wants).
No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discernment (viveka) and self-discipline—foundational prerequisites for any ritual or scriptural practice to yield spiritual fruit.