Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 99

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

लोभाद्यदि यतिर्विप्र तनुपोषपरो भवेत् । स चंडालसमो ज्ञेयो वर्णाश्रमविगर्हितः ॥ ९९ ॥

Transliteration

lobhādyadi yatirvipra tanupoṣaparo bhavet | sa caṃḍālasamo jñeyo varṇāśramavigarhitaḥ || 99 ||

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രാ! ലാഭവശാൽ യതി ശരീരപോഷണവും ഭോഗവും മാത്രമേ ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, അവനെ ചണ്ഡാലനോടു സമനായി അറിയുക—വർണാശ്രമധർമ്മത്തിൽ നിന്ദിതൻ।

Word by Word

• lobhāt: from greed
• lobhāt: Hetu (हेतु/ablative cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; ablative ‘from/through greed’

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya—conditional conjunction

• yatiḥ: an ascetic
• yatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• tanu-poṣa-paraḥ: intent on nourishing the body
• tanu-poṣa-paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक) + poṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तनुपोषे परः = devoted to bodily nourishment)

• bhavet: should become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative), 3rd person, singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• caṇḍāla-samaḥ: equal to a caṇḍāla
• caṇḍāla-samaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caṇḍāla (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; समासः—कर्मधारयः (चण्डाल इव समः)

• jñeyaḥ: is to be known (as)
• jñeyaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/vidhi)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + ya (य)
• Form: Kṛdanta—gerundive (तव्यत्/यत् sense), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘to be known/considered’

• varṇa-āśrama-vigarhitaḥ: condemned by the varṇa-āśrama order
• varṇa-āśrama-vigarhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + vigarhita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वर्णाश्रमैः विगर्हितः = condemned by varṇa and āśrama norms)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Vipra
• Yati
• Caṇḍāla

FAQs

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

It states that renunciation is judged by inner motive and conduct: when greed turns a yati toward bodily indulgence, his status becomes spiritually degraded and censured by varṇāśrama dharma.

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

By condemning greed-based self-indulgence, the verse indirectly supports bhakti and mokṣa-oriented life: devotion requires restraint and purity, not a life centered on feeding the ego through the body.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse chiefly reflects Dharmaśāstra-style application of varṇāśrama norms (right conduct and eligibility); it is not a technical Vedāṅga teaching like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.