Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

असारभूते संसारे नानादुःखसमन्विते । विश्वासो नात्र कर्त्तव्यो निश्चितं मृत्युसङ्कुले ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

asārabhūte saṃsāre nānāduḥkhasamanvite | viśvāso nātra karttavyo niścitaṃ mṛtyusaṅkule || 33 ||

Translation

या असार संसारात, जो नानाविध दुःखांनी भरलेला आहे, येथे कधीही विश्वास ठेवू नये; हा निश्चयच मृत्यूने गजबजलेला आहे.

Word by Word

• असार-भूते: in the insubstantial (world)
• असार-भूते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असार (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘असारं भूतम्’ (become/being insubstantial); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; संसारे विशेषणम्

• संसारे: in the world/existence
• संसारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• नाना-दुःख-समन्विते: in (a world) filled with various sufferings
• नाना-दुःख-समन्विते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘नानाविधैः दुःखैः समन्वितः’ (endowed with various sorrows); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संसारे विशेषणम्

• विश्वासः: trust
• विश्वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अत्र: here/in this (world)
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done/placed (should be)
• कर्तव्यः: Vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘विश्वासः’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• निश्चितम्: certainly
• निश्चितम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निश्चित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative) = certainly

• मृत्यु-सङ्कुले: in (that which is) full of death
• मृत्यु-सङ्कुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘मृत्युना सङ्कुलः’ (crowded with death); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; अत्र/संसारे विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Upadesha dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It instills vairāgya (dispassion) by declaring saṃsāra to be essence-less, suffering-laden, and inevitably bound to death—thereby urging the seeker to turn toward mokṣa-oriented life.

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

By warning against relying on unstable worldly supports, it implicitly points the mind toward a lasting refuge—Bhagavān (especially Vishnu/Nārāyaṇa) and steady bhakti—as the dependable shelter amid mortality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discernment (viveka): do not base life decisions solely on transient worldly conditions, but prioritize sādhana aimed at liberation.