Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42
Manvantaras and Indras; Sudharmā’s Liberation through Viṣṇu-Pradakṣiṇā; Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti
अहमांस पुरा शक्र गृध्रः पापो विशेषतः । स्थितश्च भूमिभागे वै अमेध्यामिषभोजनः ॥ ४२ ॥
ahamāṃsa purā śakra gṛdhraḥ pāpo viśeṣataḥ | sthitaśca bhūmibhāge vai amedhyāmiṣabhojanaḥ || 42 ||
Dahulu, wahai Shakra, aku adalah seekor burung hering—yang sangat berdosa—tinggal di atas tanah dan hidup memakan daging yang najis.
A sinful vulture (speaking to Śakra/Indra within a narrated dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It frames a karmic confession: a being describes a prior sinful state—impure livelihood and conduct—highlighting how pāpa leads to degraded births and sets the stage for purification and upliftment through dharma.
Though bhakti is not named in this single line, the verse functions as the “before” condition in a typical Purāṇic redemption arc—where remembrance of the Lord, devotion, or contact with dharmic power reverses even severe impurity and past sin.
Primarily Dharma-śāstric purity logic rather than a Vedāṅga: it implicitly reflects śauca/amedhya distinctions (ritual purity rules) used in Vedic-aligned conduct and expiatory frameworks.