Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38
Kalpa-Lakṣaṇa and Gṛhya-Kalpa: Classifications, Purifications, Implements, and Spatial Rite-Design
निष्फलस्तु स्मृतः सोमो विरञ्चिः सर्वकामदः । अनिलो वृद्धिदः प्रोक्तो यमो मृत्युप्रदो मतः ॥ ३८ ॥
niṣphalastu smṛtaḥ somo virañciḥ sarvakāmadaḥ | anilo vṛddhidaḥ prokto yamo mṛtyuprado mataḥ || 38 ||
സോമൻ നിഷ്ഫലനെന്ന് സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; വിരഞ്ചി (ബ്രഹ്മാ) സർവകാമപ്രദൻ. അനിലൻ (വായു) വർദ്ധിദാതാവെന്ന് പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു; യമൻ മരണപ്രദനെന്ന് കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-dharma section)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)
FAQs
It classifies deity-associated outcomes—some leading to worldly increase (vṛddhi), some to fulfillment of desires, and some to the inevitable end (mṛtyu)—implicitly steering the seeker to prefer moksha-oriented practice over merely result-driven worship.
By contrasting limited, function-based boons (desires, growth, death) with the implied insufficiency of fruitive results, it supports the Narada Purana’s broader emphasis that devotion aimed at the Supreme (Vishnu-bhakti) should transcend temporary gains.
It reflects a karma-phala mapping used in ritual reasoning (kalpa): specific devatās are associated with specific results, helping a practitioner understand how intention (saṅkalpa) and deity-invocation align in Vedic ritual logic.