Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

स्तेयं सुगन्धद्रव्याण्णां स्वर्णस्तेयसमं स्मृतम् । क्रमुकस्यापिहरणमम्भसां चन्दनस्य च ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

steyaṃ sugandhadravyāṇṇāṃ svarṇasteyasamaṃ smṛtam | kramukasyāpiharaṇamambhasāṃ candanasya ca || 37 ||

Translation

香料など芳香の品を盗むことは、金盗みに等しいと宣言される。同様に、クラームカ（ビンロウの実）、水、そして白檀を奪い取ることも重い盗みとして数えられる。

Word by Word

• स्तेयम्: theft
• स्तेयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of passive 'smṛtam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुगन्धद्रव्याणाम्: of fragrant substances
• सुगन्धद्रव्याणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध-द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: सुगन्धानि द्रव्याणि (of fragrant substances)

• स्वर्णस्तेयसमम्: equal to gold-theft
• स्वर्णस्तेयसमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण-स्तेय-सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: स्वर्णस्तेयेण समम् (equal to gold-theft)

• 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'

• क्रमुकस्य: of areca-nut (kramuka)
• क्रमुकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रमुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अपिहरणम्: taking away (stealing)
• अपिहरणम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in list with स्तेयम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपि+√हृ (धातु) + अन (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-नाम (ल्युट्/अन-प्रत्ययभाव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'taking away/stealing'

• अम्भसाम्: of water
• अम्भसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• चन्दनस्य: of sandalwood
• चन्दनस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It ranks certain thefts—especially of valuable or ritually significant items like aromatics and sandalwood—as grave adharma, stressing that moral purity is essential for spiritual progress.

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

Bhakti is supported by ethical restraint (yama-like conduct); the verse implies that devotion to Vishnu must be accompanied by non-stealing and respect for others’ resources, otherwise one’s worship is undermined by sin.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharma-nirṇaya (applied ethical jurisprudence) rather than a specific Vedanga; practically, it functions like a smriti-style rule for assessing the gravity of offenses in ritual and social life.