Shloka 4

Rukmāṅgada–Vāmadeva Saṃvāda: Ahimsa, Hunting, and the Fruit of Dvādaśī-Bhakti

Devanagari script

भोगस्पृहां परित्यज्य सेवस्व सुरनिम्नगाम् । एतन्न्याय्यं भवति भो न न्याय्यो मृगनिग्रहः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

bhogaspṛhāṃ parityajya sevasva suranimnagām | etannyāyyaṃ bhavati bho na nyāyyo mṛganigrahaḥ || 4 ||

Translation

Renonce au désir des jouissances des sens et consacre-toi au service du fleuve divin. Voilà ce qui est vraiment juste, mon ami ; la mise à mort des animaux n’est pas juste.

Word by Word

• bhoga-spṛhām: desire for pleasures
• bhoga-spṛhām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga + spṛhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भोगेषु स्पृहा (desire for enjoyments)

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) ‘having abandoned’

• sevasva: serve
• sevasva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sev (सेव् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• sura-nimnagām: the divine river (Gaṅgā)
• sura-nimnagām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura + nimnagā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सुराणां निम्नगा / सुर-निम्नगा (the divine river, Gaṅgā)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• nyāyyam: proper/just
• nyāyyam: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāyya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (proper/just)

• bhavati: is
• bhavati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• bho: O (sir)
• bho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• nyāyyaḥ: proper/just
• nyāyyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāyya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• mṛga-nigrahaḥ: the killing/subduing of animals
• mṛga-nigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga + nigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मृगाणां निग्रहः (suppression/killing of animals)

Speaker

Narada (admonishing the listener in a tirtha-context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It prioritizes inner renunciation (giving up bhoga-spṛhā) and sacred purification through tirtha-sevā, while explicitly affirming ahiṃsā by rejecting animal-killing as unrighteous.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as sevanā—reverent resorting to and serving a sacred manifestation of the divine (the sura-nimnagā), supported by moral discipline (renunciation and non-violence).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It most directly reflects Kalpa/Dharma practice: tirtha-snāna and śauca (purificatory conduct) joined with ethical restraint (ahiṃsā), rather than a technical lesson in grammar or astrology.