Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

राजन्नाकल्पपर्यन्तं यातनास्वासु दुःखिताः । पच्यन्ते सततं पापाविष्टा भोगरताः सदा ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

rājannākalpaparyantaṃ yātanāsvāsu duḥkhitāḥ | pacyante satataṃ pāpāviṣṭā bhogaratāḥ sadā || 86 ||

Translation

王よ、かの刑罰により責め苦しめられ、苦悩に打たれて、劫の終わりに至るまで絶えず「煮られる」のである。罪に憑かれ、常に感官の享楽に耽る者たちよ。

Word by Word

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• ā-kalpa-paryantam: until the end of a kalpa
• ā-kalpa-paryantam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (उपसर्ग/avyaya) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + paryanta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-samāsa used adverbially; accusative singular neuter form functioning as adverb: 'up to the end of a kalpa'

• yātanāsu: in tortures
• yātanāsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Saptamī (7th), Bahuvacana

• āsu: in these
• āsu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Bahuvacana; sarvanāma; viśeṣaṇa of yātanāsu ('in these')

• duḥkhitāḥ: afflicted, miserable
• duḥkhitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; from duḥkha)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; predicate adjective of implied 'te'

• pacyante: they are cooked/tormented
• pacyante: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pac (पच् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; Ātmanepada; passive/medio-passive sense: 'are cooked/tormented'

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverb: 'constantly')

• pāpa-āviṣṭāḥ: possessed by sin
• pāpa-āviṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + āviṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ā-√viś/विश्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: pāpena āviṣṭāḥ (possessed/overcome by sin)

• bhoga-ratāḥ: addicted to pleasures
• bhoga-ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदik; √ram/रम्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: bhoge ratāḥ (attached to enjoyment)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverb: 'always')

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It warns that persistent attachment to sinful pleasures (bhoga) leads to prolonged karmic retribution—depicted as continuous suffering—until cosmic time-cycles complete, urging dharma and restraint.

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

By contrasting bhoga-driven life with its painful results, the verse implicitly supports turning the mind away from sense-attachment and toward purifying devotion (especially Vishnu-bhakti) as a means to overcome pāpa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-based conduct—avoiding pāpa and cultivating self-control—so that one does not incur severe karmic consequences.