Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

Gaṅgā-māhātmya: Bāhu’s Envy, Defeat, Forest Exile, and Aurva’s Dharmic Consolation

Devanagari script

मा मुंचास्रं महाभागे प्रेतो दाह्योऽद्य सज्जनैः । तस्माच्छोकं परित्यज्य कुरु कालोचितां क्रियाम् ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

mā muṃcāsraṃ mahābhāge preto dāhyo'dya sajjanaiḥ | tasmācchokaṃ parityajya kuru kālocitāṃ kriyām || 58 ||

Translation

ഹേ മഹാഭാഗേ, കണ്ണീർ ഒഴിക്കരുത്. ഇന്ന് ഈ പ്രേതദേഹം സജ്ജനന്മാർ ദഹിപ്പിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്. അതിനാൽ ശോകം വിട്ട് കാലോചിതമായ കർമ്മം നിർവഹിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• mā: do not
• mā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prohibitive particle (मा)

• muñca: release/let go
• muñca: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative/लोट्), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• asram: tears
• asram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; epic spelling asraṃ for aśru

• mahā-bhāge: O greatly fortunate lady
• mahā-bhāge: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; बहुव्रीहि: महद्भाग्यं यस्याः सा (one who has great fortune)

• pretaḥ: the dead person
• pretaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• dāhyaḥ: should be cremated
• dāhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: Yat-pratyaya (Gerundive/यत्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; ‘to be burned’

• adya: today
• adya: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (Adverb of time/काल)

• sajjanaiḥ: by good people
• sajjanaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat + jana → sajjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Pañcamī (Ablative), Ekavacana; adverbial ‘therefore’

• śokam: grief
• śokam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pari + √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā-pratyaya (Gerund/क्त्वा-anta), avyaya usage; ‘having abandoned’

• kuru: do/perform
• kuru: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• kāla-ucitām: appropriate to the time
• kāla-ucitām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of kriyām; समास: काले उचितम् (Tatpuruṣa)

• kriyām: rite/action
• kriyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to a grieving noble woman/relative, within the Narada–Sanatkumara teaching frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It teaches śoka-nivṛtti (restraint of grief) through dharma: when death occurs, one should not remain overwhelmed by sorrow but complete the kālocita-kriyā—especially antyeṣṭi—so the transition is handled in a righteous, orderly way.

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

By urging timely sacred duty over uncontrolled lamentation, it supports the bhakti attitude of surrender to cosmic order (kāla) and trust in dharma; devotion is expressed through disciplined action and remembrance rather than despair.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: performing the proper funeral rite at the proper time (kāla-ucita) and under guidance of the righteous (sajjana), emphasizing correct samskāra/antyeṣṭi conduct.