Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali

Devanagari script

यदि जानन्ति दैतेया महदुखं ततो भवेत् । त्यजेदं दुःखबहुलं कायशोषणकारणम् ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

yadi jānanti daiteyā mahadukhaṃ tato bhavet | tyajedaṃ duḥkhabahulaṃ kāyaśoṣaṇakāraṇam || 40 ||

Translation

ദൈത്യർ ഇത് അറിഞ്ഞാൽ അവർക്കു മഹാദുഃഖം ഉണ്ടാകും; അതിനാൽ ദുഃഖം നിറഞ്ഞതും ശരീരക്ഷയകാരണമുമായ ഇതിനെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• जानन्ति: they know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम

• दैतेयाः: the Daityas (demons)
• दैतेयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• महत्-दुःखम्: great suffering
• महत्-दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् दुःखम्)

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमसूचक (from that/thereupon)

• भवेत्: it would be / would happen
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• त्यजेत्: one should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• दुःख-बहुलम्: abounding in suffering
• दुःख-बहुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दुःखस्य बहुलम् = full of suffering)

• काय-शोषण-कारणम्: the cause of bodily emaciation
• काय-शोषण-कारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक; √शुष्) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (कायस्य शोषणस्य कारणम्)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: karuna (compassion)

Characters & Entities

• Daityas

FAQs

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

It warns that pursuits leading to intense sorrow and bodily depletion are to be renounced, reinforcing discernment (viveka) and dispassion (vairagya) as foundations for liberation-oriented dharma.

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

By discouraging painful, body-wasting engagements, it implicitly supports steady, sattvic practice—where devotion is sustained through balanced discipline rather than self-harm, making bhakti stable and long-lived.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharmic discernment—choosing regulated, scripturally aligned discipline over extremes that damage health and obstruct sustained sadhana.