Shloka 18

The Description of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya): Avimukta, Kapālamocana, and Śiva’s Purification

Devanagari script

अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् । नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म ह्यपि जन्मशतैः प्रिय ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

avaśyameva bhoktavyaṃ kṛtaṃ karma śubhāśubham | nābhuktaṃ kṣīyate karma hyapi janmaśataiḥ priya || 18 ||

Translation

まことに、人は自ら為した業の果を、吉であれ凶であれ、必ず受けねばならぬ。未だ受けていない業は滅びず、幾百の生を経てもなお残る、愛しき者よ。

Word by Word

• avaśyam: inevitably, certainly
• avaśyam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle/emphasis (निपात)

• bhoktavyam: must be experienced/consumed
• bhoktavyam: Vidheyabhāva (विधेयभाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta (कृदन्त), gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्), Neuter (नपुंसक), Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular (एकवचन); impersonal obligation

• kṛtam: done, performed
• kṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + kta (क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसक), Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; qualifying karma

• karma: action, deed
• karma: Karma (कर्म) / Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• śubha-aśubham: good and bad
• śubha-aśubham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (शुभ प्रातिपदिक) + aśubha (अशुभ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) compound; Neuter (नपुंसक), Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; qualifying karma

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• abhuktam: not experienced/enjoyed
• abhuktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु) + kta (क्त प्रत्यय) with negation a-
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त) with privative prefix a-; Neuter (नपुंसक), Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; qualifying karma

• kṣīyate: perishes, is exhausted
• kṣīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣī (क्षी धातु)
• Form: Tinganta (तिङन्त), Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• karma: the deed (karma)
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha/Reason marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) giving emphasis/reason

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) meaning 'even/also'

• janma-śataiḥ: by hundreds of births
• janma-śataiḥ: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (जन्मन्) + śata (शत)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसक), Instrumental (3/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• priya: O dear one
• priya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रिय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada as 'priya')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It asserts the inexorable law of karma: every performed action bears a result that must be experienced, even if it takes many lifetimes, encouraging ethical living and serious spiritual practice.

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

By highlighting karmic inevitability, it implicitly points seekers toward higher refuge—steady Vishnu Bhakti and dharmic living—as the way to move beyond repeated bondage to results.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with Dharma-śāstra reasoning and the broader Vedanga-supported framework of karma-phala (cause and result); it is not a technical instruction in Śikṣā/Vyākaraṇa/Jyotiṣa, but it underpins ritual ethics and accountability.