Shloka 18

Brahmā’s Discourse to Mohinī

Harivāsara, Desire, and the Satya-Test of Rukmāṅgada

Devanagari script

वृद्धो वापि युवा वापि न पादौ धावयेद्वधूम् । उभयोः पतनं प्रोक्तं रौरवेऽङ्गारसंचये ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

vṛddho vāpi yuvā vāpi na pādau dhāvayedvadhūm | ubhayoḥ patanaṃ proktaṃ raurave'ṅgārasaṃcaye || 18 ||

Translation

老人であれ若者であれ、嫁に足を洗わせてはならない。両者とも（罪に）落ち、ラウラヴァ地獄の燃える炭の山が彼らの運命となると言われている。

Word by Word

• वृद्धः: an old man
• वृद्धः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• युवा: a young man
• युवा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (युवान्-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन रूपम्)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• पादौ: (her) two feet
• पादौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• धावयेत्: should wash/make (them) run (i.e., cleanse)
• धावयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: ‘cause to run/wash’)

• वधूम्: the bride/daughter-in-law
• वधूम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वधू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उभयोः: of both (persons)
• उभयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• पतनम्: fall/downfall
• पतनम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘पतनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• रौरवे: in Raurava (hell)
• रौरवे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (नरक-नाम)

• अङ्गारसंचये: in a heap of embers
• अङ्गारसंचये: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गार + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अङ्गाराणां संचयः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching dharma-nīti in Uttara-Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Raurava

FAQs

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

It frames compassion and proper conduct in marriage as dharma: causing a bride to run on foot is treated as cruelty, producing karmic downfall for both and leading to painful afterlife consequences.

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

Bhakti in the Purāṇic sense is inseparable from dharmic behavior; honoring and protecting others—especially within marriage—supports purity (śuddhi) that sustains Vishnu-bhakti, while cruelty obstructs spiritual progress.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught here; the verse is primarily nīti-dharma, giving a practical ethical rule for household life and marriage conduct.