Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 125

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

आरामच्छेदिनो यान्ति युगानामेकविंशतिम् । श्वभोजनं ततः सर्वा भुञ्जते यातनाः क्रमात् ॥ १२५ ॥

Transliteration

ārāmacchedino yānti yugānāmekaviṃśatim | śvabhojanaṃ tataḥ sarvā bhuñjate yātanāḥ kramāt || 125 ||

Translation

Ceux qui détruisent les jardins vont (en enfer) pour vingt et un yugas. Par la suite, ils sont contraints de manger de la nourriture pour chiens ; puis, dans l'ordre, ils subissent tous les autres tourments.

Word by Word

• ārāma-cchedinaḥ: those who cut down gardens/groves
• ārāma-cchedinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārāma (प्रातिपदिक) + cchedin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) ‘ārāmaṃ chinatti iti’; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yānti: go/attain
• yānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• yugānām: of yugas
• yugānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• eka-viṃśatim: twenty-one
• eka-viṃśatim: Kāla-parimāṇa (कालपरिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (द्विगु) numeral compound meaning ‘twenty-one’; Feminine (viṃśati-śabda), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as measure of time

• śva-bhojanam: dog’s food
• śva-bhojanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘śunas bhojanam’; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-avyaya (कालवाचक-अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय/तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय), ‘thereafter/from that’

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying yātanāḥ

• bhuñjate: eat/consume
• bhuñjate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Plural

• yātanāḥ: tortures/punishments
• yātanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• kramāt: in sequence/gradually
• kramāt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular used adverbially (अव्ययीभावार्थ) ‘in order/step by step’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

It teaches that harming shared, life-supporting spaces like gardens is a serious adharma; karma ripens into prolonged naraka-suffering, emphasizing stewardship and non-injury toward beings sustained by such places.

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

By warning against destructive acts, it indirectly supports bhakti as a life of dharma—serving and protecting what benefits others—since devotion to Vishnu is upheld through compassionate, non-harmful conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with Dharma-shastra style nīti (ethical rule-making) rather than a technical Vedanga; the practical takeaway is karmic causality used as a behavioral guideline for social and ecological responsibility.