Shloka 69

Śāpaprāpti (Receiving a Curse) — Mohinī Narrative

Devanagari script

शौकरस्पर्शनाद्वापि नरो देवार्चनेन वा । व्याहृते कथितं विप्रैः सेयमद्य सुनिष्ठुरा ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

śaukarasparśanādvāpi naro devārcanena vā | vyāhṛte kathitaṃ vipraiḥ seyamadya suniṣṭhurā || 68 ||

Translation

ଶୂକର ସ୍ପର୍ଶ ହେଉ କି ଦେବାର୍ଚ୍ଚନ ହେଉ—ଉଚ୍ଚାରିତ (ବିଧି/ବାକ୍ୟ) ବିଷୟରେ ବିପ୍ରମାନେ ଏପରି କହିଛନ୍ତି; ଆଜି ଏହି ନିୟମ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କଠୋର ଲାଗୁଛି।

Word by Word

• शौकरस्पर्शनात्: from touching a boar
• शौकरस्पर्शनात्: Hetu (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौकर-स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शूकरस्य स्पर्शनम्

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक निपात (also/even)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवार्चनेन: by worship of the gods
• देवार्चनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानाम् अर्चनम्

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• व्याहृते: when uttered/spoken
• व्याहृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु) + व्या (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• कथितम्: has been said
• कथितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विप्रैः: by the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रैः: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• सुनिष्ठुरा: very harsh/very severe
• सुनिष्ठुरा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-निष्ठुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्ग 'सु' (intensifier)

Speaker

Narrative voice within the Adhyaya (traditional dialogue attribution: Narada in discourse as preserved by the Purana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"karuna","emotional_journey":"States a rule that equates disparate triggers (touching a boar vs deity-worship) in relation to an uttered formula, then registers discomfort—‘today it seems very harsh’—creating a compassionate critique of over-severity."}

FAQs

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

It highlights the tension between strict ritual injunctions (purity rules) and lived religious practice, noting that certain prescribed consequences can feel excessively severe.

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

By contrasting contact-based impurity with acts like deity worship, it implicitly raises the question of how ritual rules interface with sincere devotion—suggesting that rigid externalism can appear harsh without inner understanding.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to mantra-prayoga and ritual speech (the use of vyāhṛti), a practical aspect tied to Śikṣā (phonetics) and Kalpa (ritual procedure) in applying purity and expiation rules.