Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38
Saṃsāra-duḥkha: Karmic Descent, Garbhavāsa, Life’s Anxieties, Death, and the Call to Jñāna-Bhakti
आमलप्रक्षयाद्यद्वदग्नौ धाम्यंति धातवः । तथैव जीविनः सर्व आकर्मप्रक्षयाद् भृशम् ॥ ३८ ॥
āmalaprakṣayādyadvadagnau dhāmyaṃti dhātavaḥ | tathaiva jīvinaḥ sarva ākarmaprakṣayād bhṛśam || 38 ||
Sebagaimana logam apabila dipanaskan dalam api lalu ditiup kuat sehingga kekotorannya terbakar dan ia menjadi halus, demikianlah juga semua makhluk hidup disucikan dengan hebat apabila karma yang terkumpul itu habis terlerai.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It teaches that suffering, discipline, and spiritual practice function like fire that burns away impurities—when karmic residues are exhausted, the jiva becomes purified and fit for liberation-oriented knowledge.
By implying purification through karmakshaya: steady bhakti and surrender reduce sinful impressions and reactions, refining the heart so devotion becomes unbroken and pure rather than mixed with worldly motives.
It uses a clear ritual/technical metaphor from fire-processing (agni as purifier) to convey a dharmic principle: actions leave results, and disciplined practice (tapas, vrata, japa) is a method to lessen karmic residue.