Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

तच्छुत्वोवाच भूपालं मुनिर्निःश्वस्य दुःखितः । आत्मानं गर्हयामास ह्यविवेकपरायणम् ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

tacchutvovāca bhūpālaṃ munirniḥśvasya duḥkhitaḥ | ātmānaṃ garhayāmāsa hyavivekaparāyaṇam || 39 ||

Translation

ಅದನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ ಮುನಿಯು ದುಃಖಿತನಾಗಿ ನಿಟ್ಟುಸಿರು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ರಾಜನಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದನು; ಅವಿವೇಕಕ್ಕೆ ಆಸಕ್ತನಾಗಿದ್ದ ಕಾರಣ ತನ್ನನ್ನೇ ಗರ್ಹಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; कर्म-निर्देश (object of hearing)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकाल (having heard)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भूपालम्: to the king
• भूपालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन

• निःश्वस्य: having sighed
• निःश्वस्य: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि: + श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having sighed'

• दुःखितः: sorrowful
• दुःखितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गर्हयामास: censured/reproached
• गर्हयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect) periphrastic, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative stem (णिच्) implied: 'caused to be censured' → 'censured'

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अविवेक-परायणम्: one devoted to indiscretion
• अविवेक-परायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविवेक (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'devoted to lack of discernment'), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of आत्मानम्

Speaker

Muni (sage) addressing the king (Bhūpāla)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Muni
• Bhūpāla (King)

FAQs

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

It highlights viveka (discernment) as a core spiritual faculty: when insight dawns, the wise feel remorse for earlier aviveka and turn inward to correct themselves before instructing others.

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

Bhakti in the Purāṇic sense is strengthened by discernment; the sage’s self-censure shows that devotion should be guided by clear understanding, not by impulsive or confused judgment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes ethical and mental discipline rather than a specific Vedāṅga; its practical takeaway is the cultivation of viveka—an essential prerequisite for applying śāstric learning (like Vyākaraṇa or Kalpa) correctly.