Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 126

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

देवतागृहभेत्तारस्तडागानां च भूपते । पुष्पारामभिदश्चैव यां गतिं यान्ति तच्छॄणु ॥ १२६ ॥

Transliteration

devatāgṛhabhettārastaḍāgānāṃ ca bhūpate | puṣpārāmabhidaścaiva yāṃ gatiṃ yānti tacchṝṇu || 126 ||

Translation

王よ、神々の神殿を破壊し、貯水池や池を壊し、花園を荒らす者たちがどのような運命をたどるかを聞きなさい。

Word by Word

• devatā-gṛha-bhettāraḥ: breakers of temples (houses of deities)
• devatā-gṛha-bhettāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhettṛ (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhid)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष chain) ‘devatāyāḥ gṛham’ + agent ‘bhettā’; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• taḍāgānām: of ponds/tanks
• taḍāgānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taḍāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• bhūpate: O king
• bhūpate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• puṣpa-ārāma-bhidaḥ: destroyers of flower-gardens
• puṣpa-ārāma-bhidaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ārāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhid (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhid)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘puṣpāṇāṃ ārāmaḥ’ + ‘bhid’ (breaker); Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis ‘indeed/just’

• yām: which
• yām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• gatim: state/realm/destination
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• yānti: go/attain
• yānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of śṛṇu

• śṛṇu: hear/listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada, with the vocative 'bhūpate' reflecting a didactic address to a ruler/king in the narrative style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Devatā (the deities)

FAQs

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

The verse frames temple-breaking and the destruction of life-supporting commons (ponds and gardens) as grave adharma, leading to a specific negative post-death destination (gati) governed by karma.

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

By condemning harm to devas’ sanctuaries and sacred supports for worship, it implies that true bhakti includes reverence, protection, and service to holy places rather than exploitation or violence toward them.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practical dharma is implied: maintaining temples and water-reservoirs supports daily worship and yajña-related purity; it aligns with kalpa (ritual procedure) and dharmaśāstra-style conduct rather than a technical lesson in grammar or astrology.