Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
नृपरीतस्य संजातं सरसो दर्शनं नृप । ततः शुष्कां तु सरसीं दृष्ट्वा तत्र व्यचिन्तयत् ॥ ६९ ॥
nṛparītasya saṃjātaṃ saraso darśanaṃ nṛpa | tataḥ śuṣkāṃ tu sarasīṃ dṛṣṭvā tatra vyacintayat || 69 ||
Wahai raja, bagi penguasa yang sedang terhimpit itu tampaklah sebuah telaga. Namun ketika dilihatnya telaga itu ternyata telah kering, ia pun termenung dan berpikir di sana.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It highlights discernment (viveka): what appears promising (a lake) can prove empty (dry), urging reflective inquiry rather than impulsive pursuit.
By showing the unreliability of appearances, it nudges the mind away from transient hopes toward steadier refuge—typically framed in the Purana as turning to Bhagavan through remembrance and surrender.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is directly taught here; the practical takeaway is ethical-psychological—pause, verify reality, and act with thoughtful restraint.