Shloka 48

Kāṣṭhīla-Upākhyāna: Rākṣasī, Spear-Śakti, and Kāśī as Śakti-kṣetra

Devanagari script

तमहंभावनायुक्तो नो हेयाद्यो विदां वरः । स शांतिमाप्नुयादग्र्यां धम्यामुभयसंस्थिताम् ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

tamahaṃbhāvanāyukto no heyādyo vidāṃ varaḥ | sa śāṃtimāpnuyādagryāṃ dhamyāmubhayasaṃsthitām || 48 ||

Translation

‘ഞാൻ അതുതന്നെ (ബ്രഹ്മം)’ എന്ന ഭാവനയോടെ യുക്തനായ ജ്ഞാനികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ ആരെയും ഹീനനെന്ന് അവമതിക്കരുത്. ജ്ഞാനവും ആചാരവും—ഇരുവരിലും സ്ഥാപിതനായി അവൻ ധർമ്മമയമായ പരമവും പവിത്രവുമായ ശാന്തി പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• tam: him/that one
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhāvanā-yuktaḥ: endowed with contemplation/true attitude
• bhāvanā-yuktaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāvanā (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त, युज् धातु)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; yukta = past passive participle (क्त) of √yuj (युज्)

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन) (enclitic)

• heya-ādyaḥ: (one) foremost regarding what is to be avoided
• heya-ādyaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: heya (कृदन्त; हा धातु/√hā, ‘to abandon’ → heya ‘to be abandoned’) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘heya-ādi’ = ‘beginning with what is to be abandoned’

• vidām: of the wise/knowers
• vidām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vid (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विद्’/‘विद्वस्’ sense)
• Form: Masculine/Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• varaḥ: the best/excellent one
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• śāntim: peace
• śāntim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āpnuyāt: may attain
• āpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• agryām: foremost
• agryām: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies śāntim

• dharmyām: righteous/according to dharma
• dharmyām: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies śāntim

• ubhaya-saṃsthitām: established in both (worlds/ways)
• ubhaya-saṃsthitām: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (कृदन्त; √sthā with sam-upasarga)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; saṃsthita = past passive participle (क्त) of √sthā (स्था) with sam-

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Uttara-Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that Vedantic realization—steady contemplation of ‘I am That’—naturally produces humility and non-disdain, culminating in the supreme, sacred peace.

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

By forbidding contempt and promoting inner purity, it supports bhakti’s core ethic of humility; a mind grounded in the Divine Self treats all beings with reverence, which stabilizes devotional practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline—avoiding ‘heya-buddhi’ (the mindset of rejection)—as a prerequisite for higher realization.