Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

सुरापान समं पापं लभते स नराधमः । एवं बहुविधं पापं सुरापानसमं स्मृतम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

surāpāna samaṃ pāpaṃ labhate sa narādhamaḥ | evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ pāpaṃ surāpānasamaṃ smṛtam || 34 ||

Translation

その最も卑しい者は、スラーを飲むことに等しい罪を得る。かくして、さまざまな罪がスラー飲酒と同等であると伝統は説く。

Word by Word

• सुरापान: liquor-drinking
• सुरापान: Upamana/Pratimana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरापान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'liquor-drinking' (act)

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'equal to' (comparative predicate)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नराधमः: the lowest of men
• नराधमः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव: नराणाम् अधमः (lowest of men)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• बहुविधम्: various
• बहुविधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of पापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु-विद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'many-kinded/various'

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुरापानसमम्: equal to liquor-drinking
• सुरापानसमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier of पापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरापान-सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सुरापानेन समम् (equal to liquor-drinking)

• स्मृतम्: is considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग: 'is said/considered'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

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 underscores that surā-drinking is treated as a benchmark for grave wrongdoing, and that other serious transgressions are also measured as “equal to surāpāna,” warning the seeker to avoid actions that heavily obstruct purity and spiritual progress.

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

Bhakti in the Purāṇic frame rests on śauca (inner/outer purity) and restraint; by marking certain acts as severely sinful, the text protects devotional life from habits that dull discernment and weaken steady remembrance of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with Dharmaśāstra-style ethical classification (smṛti-pramāṇa) rather than a technical Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway is conduct-regulation—identifying and avoiding high-gravity pāpa that demands serious prāyaścitta (expiation).