Shloka 37

Brahmā’s Discourse to Mohinī

Harivāsara, Desire, and the Satya-Test of Rukmāṅgada

Devanagari script

तथा चोक्तं पुराणेषु नारीवीक्षणवर्णनम् । उन्मादकरणं नॄणां दुश्चरव्रतनाशनम् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

tathā coktaṃ purāṇeṣu nārīvīkṣaṇavarṇanam | unmādakaraṇaṃ nṝṇāṃ duścaravratanāśanam || 37 ||

Translation

Ainsi est-il dit dans les Purāṇa : décrire l’acte de regarder les femmes rend les hommes fous et détruit même les vœux difficiles, gardés par une austérité rigoureuse.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘thus/so’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• उक्तम्: (it is) said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘it is said/was said’

• पुराणेषु: in the Purāṇas
• पुराणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative plural)

• नारी-वीक्षण-वर्णनम्: the description of looking at women
• नारी-वीक्षण-वर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक) + वीक्षण (√ईक्ष्/वीक्ष्, ल्युट्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (√वर्ण्, ल्युट्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘description of looking at women’

• उन्माद-करणम्: a cause of madness
• उन्माद-करणम्: Vidhāyaka/Phala (विधायक/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्माद (प्रातिपदिक) + करण (√कृ, ल्युट्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘causing madness’

• नॄणाम्: of men
• नॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive plural)

• दुश्चर-व्रत-नाशनम्: destroyer of hard vows
• दुश्चर-व्रत-नाशनम्: Vidhāyaka/Phala (विधायक/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुश्चर (दुस्+चर, प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (√नश्/नाश्, ल्युट्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘destroyer of difficult vows/observances’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It warns that sensory indulgence—here framed as lustful looking—creates mental agitation and delusion, which directly weakens tapas and undermines the power (phala) of vrata.

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

Bhakti requires steadiness of mind and purity of intention; the verse teaches that guarding the senses protects concentration in japa, pūjā, and remembrance of the Lord, preventing the fall of one’s devotional observances.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Dharma-śāstra style sadācāra (right conduct) supporting ritual efficacy: without mental restraint and purity, ritual/vrata performance loses its intended spiritual force.