Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

मा विनाशं व्रज मुने मग्नः संसारगह्वरे । वपुर्विनाशनिलयमापदां परमं पदम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

mā vināśaṃ vraja mune magnaḥ saṃsāragahvare | vapurvināśanilayamāpadāṃ paramaṃ padam || 31 ||

Translation

Ô sage, ne va pas à la ruine, toi qui es englouti dans le ravin profond du saṃsāra. Ce corps est demeure de la déchéance et le siège suprême des calamités.

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• विनाशम्: destruction
• विनाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• व्रज: go
• व्रज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• मग्नः: sunk/immersed
• मग्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मग्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• संसार-गह्वरे: in the abyss of worldly existence
• संसार-गह्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘संसारस्य गह्वरम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वपुः-विनाश-निलयम्: the abode of the destruction of the body
• वपुः-विनाश-निलयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला: ‘वपुषः विनाशस्य निलयम्’ (abode of bodily destruction); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• आपदाम्: of calamities
• आपदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• परमम्: highest/ultimate
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada Muni in instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It presses the urgency of vairāgya: recognizing saṁsāra as a dangerous abyss and the body as inherently perishable, one should turn away from self-destruction and seek the path leading to liberation.

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

By exposing the body and worldly immersion as a ‘seat of calamities,’ the verse prepares the mind for śaraṇāgati (taking refuge). In the Narada Purana’s devotional frame, such dispassion supports steady Vishnu-bhakti as the safe refuge from saṁsāra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discipline—cultivating discernment (viveka) and dispassion (vairāgya), which undergird all scriptural study and practice.