Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

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

Devanagari script

स घोरं नरकं यातिव्याघ्रपक्षं चतुर्युगम् । यः स्वकर्मपरित्यागी पाषण्डीत्युच्यते बुधैः ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

sa ghoraṃ narakaṃ yātivyāghrapakṣaṃ caturyugam | yaḥ svakarmaparityāgī pāṣaṇḍītyucyate budhaiḥ || 96 ||

Translation

ଯେ ନର ନିଜ ସ୍ୱକର୍ମ-ସ୍ୱଧର୍ମକୁ ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କରେ, ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନମାନେ ତାକୁ ‘ପାଷଣ୍ଡୀ’ କହନ୍ତି; ସେ ଘୋର ‘ବ୍ୟାଘ୍ରପକ୍ଷ’ ନରକକୁ ଚତୁର୍ୟୁଗ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with नरकम्

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• व्याघ्रपक्षम्: (the hell called) Vyāghrapakṣa
• व्याघ्रपक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्रपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; व्याघ्र + पक्ष)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); as a specific hell-name/apposition

• चतुर्युगम्: for a caturyuga
• चतुर्युगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्युग (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + युग)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); duration-object

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• स्व-कर्म-परित्यागी: one who abandons his own duties
• स्व-कर्म-परित्यागी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + परित्यागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• पाषण्डी: a heretic
• पाषण्डी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषण्डिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate-noun

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Present/लट्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); Passive (कर्मणि)

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue on dharma)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It asserts that spiritual progress requires fidelity to one’s scripturally defined responsibilities (svakarma); rejecting them is portrayed as a grave dharmic rupture with severe karmic consequences.

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

It implies bhakti must be aligned with dharma—devotion is not a license to discard righteous conduct; abandoning ordained duties is condemned as pāṣaṇḍa rather than praised as spirituality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to the applied side of Dharma-śāstra and Kalpa (ritual and conduct): knowing and performing one’s prescribed rites and obligations instead of rejecting them under misguided doctrines.