Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 109
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
तस्यैवाशु प्रणश्यन्ति धीविद्यार्थात्मजक्रियाः । शुश्रूषां कुरुते यस्तु गुरुणां सादरं नरः ॥ ९ ॥
tasyaivāśu praṇaśyanti dhīvidyārthātmajakriyāḥ | śuśrūṣāṃ kurute yastu guruṇāṃ sādaraṃ naraḥ || 9 ||
Bagi orang itu, kecerdasan, ilmu, kekayaan, anak, dan buah perbuatan segera lenyap—bila ia melayani para guru hanya dengan hormat yang dipamerkan.
Sanatkumāra (in instruction to Nārada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It warns that superficial, performative reverence toward one’s teachers undermines the very foundations of spiritual and worldly life—discernment, learning, prosperity, progeny, and the efficacy of one’s actions—because true transmission of dharma requires sincerity and humility.
Bhakti is grounded in śraddhā and surrender; the verse implies that without genuine receptivity to the guru (rather than mere outward respect), devotion becomes hollow and one’s inner capacities for steady worship and right conduct deteriorate.
It highlights the discipline required for preserving vidyā—especially the teacher-student transmission central to Vedāṅga learning (e.g., Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa)—showing that knowledge and its results fail when the student’s attitude is merely formal rather than truly service-oriented.