Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

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

Devanagari script

यः श्रृणोति महन्निन्दां सादरं तत्फलं श्रृणु । तेषां कर्णेषु दाप्यन्ते तप्तायः कीलसंचयाः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

yaḥ śrṛṇoti mahannindāṃ sādaraṃ tatphalaṃ śrṛṇu | teṣāṃ karṇeṣu dāpyante taptāyaḥ kīlasaṃcayāḥ || 77 ||

Translation

Quiconque écoute avec complaisance une lourde calomnie—entends-en le fruit: dans les oreilles de tels gens on enfonce des amas de clous de fer rougis au feu.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• śṛṇoti: he hears/listens
• śṛṇoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahat-nindām: great slander
• mahat-nindām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + nindā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘great slander’

• sa-ādaram: attentively/with interest
• sa-ādaram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva used adverbially: ‘with respect/attentively’

• tat-phalam: its fruit/result
• tat-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘its result’

• śṛṇu: hear (you)
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• karṇeṣu: in (their) ears
• karṇeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dāpyante: are forced in/are inserted
• dāpyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्) (causative)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); passive/impersonal sense in causative: ‘are made to be given/inserted’

• tapta-ayaḥ: of heated iron
• tapta-ayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of kīla-saṃcayāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √tap) + ayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘heated iron’ (as qualifier)

• kīla-saṃcayāḥ: heaps of spikes
• kīla-saṃcayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (grammatical subject of dāpyante)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīla (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃcaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘heaps/collections of spikes’

Speaker

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 warns that even passive participation—listening with interest to serious slander—creates heavy pāpa, showing that purity of hearing (śravaṇa) is a key limb of Dharma.

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

Bhakti is nurtured by śuddha-śravaṇa (pure hearing). This verse implies that indulging in nindā corrupts the mind and speech, obstructing remembrance and devotional hearing of Hari-kathā.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical takeaway aligned with Vyākaraṇa/Nirukta-based discipline of speech is restraint in verbal exchange and attentive listening—avoiding nindā as part of sadācāra and dhārmic communication.