Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
प्रहासं कुर्वते नित्यं यान्दन्तान्दर्शयन्खलाः । तानेव दर्शयन्त्याशु स्वसामर्थ्यविपर्यये ॥ ४६ ॥
prahāsaṃ kurvate nityaṃ yāndantāndarśayankhalāḥ | tāneva darśayantyāśu svasāmarthyaviparyaye || 46 ||
Les méchants se moquent sans cesse, montrant leurs dents en riant ; mais lorsque leur propre puissance se renverse, on les fait vite montrer ces mêmes dents dans l’impuissance.
Sanatkumara (teaching Nārada in a discourse on nīti/dharma)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: hasya
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It warns that ridicule born of pride is unstable: when fortune and strength reverse, the mocker is humbled by the very attitude he displayed—highlighting karmic retribution and the need for self-restraint.
Bhakti is supported by humility and compassion; mocking others hardens ego (ahaṅkāra). The verse indirectly teaches that a devotee should avoid contempt and cultivate gentle speech as an offering aligned with dharma.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline of speech and conduct (sadācāra), which undergirds all śāstric practice and ritual purity.