Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

तपनोवालुकाकुम्भौमहारौरवरौरवौ । कुम्भघीपाको निरुच्छ्वासः कालसूत्रः प्रमर्दनः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

tapanovālukākumbhaumahārauravarauravau | kumbhaghīpāko nirucchvāsaḥ kālasūtraḥ pramardanaḥ || 3 ||

Translation

तपन, वालुका आणि कुंभ; तसेच रौरव व महारौरव; कुंभघीपाक, निरुच्छ्वास, कालसूत्र आणि प्रमर्दन—हीही नरकलोकांची नावे सांगितली आहेत।

Word by Word

• tapanaḥ: Tapana (a hell-name; ‘burning’)
• tapanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• vālukā-kumbhaḥ: Sand-pot (hell-name)
• vālukā-kumbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālukā (प्रातिपदिक) + kumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध (genitival relation: ‘of sand’)

• mahā-rauravaḥ: Mahāraurava (great Raurava hell)
• mahā-rauravaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + raurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (adjectival: ‘great Raurava’)

• rauravaḥ: Raurava (hell-name)
• rauravaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kumbha-ghī-pākaḥ: Kumbhaghīpāka (hell-name; boiling in ghee in a pot)
• kumbha-ghī-pākaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumbha (प्रातिपदिक) + ghī/ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘cooking/boiling in a pot with ghee’)

• nirucchvāsaḥ: Nirucchvāsa (hell-name; ‘without breath’)
• nirucchvāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nir-ucchvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-युक्त (nir-)

• kāla-sūtraḥ: Kālasūtra (hell-name)
• kāla-sūtraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + sūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘thread/line of Time/Death’)

• pramardanaḥ: Pramardana (hell-name; crushing)
• pramardanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-mardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-युक्त (pra-)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue, instructing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It functions as a dharma-warning: by naming specific narakas, the text emphasizes moral causality (karma-phala) and urges restraint, repentance, and righteous conduct to avoid degrading consequences.

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

While this verse itself lists hell-realms rather than bhakti practices, its purpose supports bhakti indirectly: fear of sinful reactions motivates dharmic living and turning toward Vishnu-centered devotion as the safest refuge from pāpa and its results.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; it is primarily a Purāṇic ethical-cosmological catalog used for dharma instruction and ritual-moral accountability.