Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 128

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

Devanagari script

ततश्चाण्डालयोनौ तु शतजन्मानि भूपते । ग्रामविध्वंसकानां तु दाहकानां च लुम्पताम् ॥ १२८ ॥

Transliteration

tataścāṇḍālayonau tu śatajanmāni bhūpate | grāmavidhvaṃsakānāṃ tu dāhakānāṃ ca lumpatām || 128 ||

Translation

そののち、王よ、村を滅ぼす者――火を放って焼く者と略奪する者――は、チャンダーラ（賤民）の胎に百生を受ける。

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: हेतु/क्रम (निबन्धन/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb)

• चाण्डाल-योनौ: in the womb/birth of a caṇḍāla
• चाण्डाल-योनौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: चाण्डालस्य योनिः)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• शत-जन्मानि: a hundred births
• शत-जन्मानि: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (शतानि जन्मानि)

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ग्राम-विध्वंसकानाम्: of village-destroyers
• ग्राम-विध्वंसकानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + विध्वंसक (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ध्वंस् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ग्रामस्य विध्वंसकाः)

• तु: indeed; and further
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• दाहकानाम्: of burners/arsonists
• दाहकानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाहक (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दह् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• लुम्पताम्: of plunderers/robbers
• लुम्पताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लुम्पत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लुप्/लुम्प् (धातु) + शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle used as noun)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to a king, as framed in Narada Purana’s dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It teaches karma-vipāka: severe public-harming violence (destroying villages, arson, plunder) leads to prolonged degraded rebirth, stressing social dharma and the moral weight of harming many.

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

Indirectly: by showing the gravity of papa, it motivates refuge in dharma and purification—classically, Narada Purana frames devotion to Vishnu, repentance, and corrective conduct as means to turn away from destructive karma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Not a Vedanga-technical verse; it functions as dharma-śāstra style guidance on karma and social ethics (raja-dharma), relevant for governance and preventing adharma such as arson and looting.