Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
ऋतुत्रये स पृथिवीं शतयो जनविस्तृताम् । कृत्वातिदुःखितां पश्चाद्वनान्तरमुपागमत् ॥ ५० ॥
ṛtutraye sa pṛthivīṃ śatayo janavistṛtām | kṛtvātiduḥkhitāṃ paścādvanāntaramupāgamat || 50 ||
മൂന്നു ഋതുക്കളുടെ കാലം അവൻ—നൂറുകണക്കിന് യോജന വ്യാപ്തിയുള്ളതും ജനസമൂഹങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞതുമായ—ഭൂമിയെ അത്യന്തം ദുഃഖിതമാക്കി; പിന്നെ വനാന്തരത്തിലേക്ക് കടന്നു।
Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers, traditional dialogue frame)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It highlights how adharma-driven conduct can rapidly spread collective suffering across society, and how turning away from harmful action toward seclusion/withdrawal signals the need for inner correction and dharmic realignment.
Though Bhakti is not named directly here, the verse sets the problem—worldly distress produced by wrongdoing—for which the Narada Purana repeatedly presents Vishnu-bhakti, sattvic living, and dharma as the restorative path.
The time marker “three seasons” reflects traditional calendrical reckoning used in Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga) for situating events within ṛtu-based time cycles, a common Purāṇic way to convey duration and seasonal order.