Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Sṛṣṭi-varṇana, Bhārata-khaṇḍa-mahātmya, and Jagad-bhūgola

Creation, Glory of Bhārata, and World Geography

Devanagari script

भारते तु कृतं कर्म शुभं वाशुभमेव च । तत्फलं क्षयि विप्रेन्द्र भुज्यतेऽन्यत्रजन्तुभिः ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

bhārate tu kṛtaṃ karma śubhaṃ vāśubhameva ca | tatphalaṃ kṣayi viprendra bhujyate'nyatrajantubhiḥ || 48 ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਵਿਪ੍ਰ-ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ! ਭਾਰਤ-ਭੂਮੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਰਮ—ਸ਼ੁਭ ਹੋਵੇ ਜਾਂ ਅਸ਼ੁਭ—ਉਸ ਦਾ ਫਲ ਨਾਸਵੰਤ ਹੈ; ਦੇਹ ਤਿਆਗ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਹੋਰ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੀਵ ਉਹ ਫਲ ਭੋਗਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• bhārate: In the land of Bharata (India)
• bhārate: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tu: But / Indeed
• tu: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/Particle

• kṛtam: Done / Performed
• kṛtam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (kta/क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• karma: Action / Work
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म) in passive sense
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• śubham: Auspicious / Good
• śubham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vā: Or
• vā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• aśubham: Inauspicious / Bad
• aśubham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• eva: Only / Indeed
• eva: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis)

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• tatphalam: The fruit/result of that
• tatphalam: Karma (Object/कर्म) in passive construction
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat-phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kṣayi: Perishable / Decaying
• kṣayi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• viprendra: O Lord of Brahmins (Narada)
• viprendra: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viprendra (vipra+indra)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

• bhujyate: Is experienced / Is eaten
• bhujyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Present Tense (Lat/लट्), Passive (Karmani), 3rd Person, Singular

• anyatra: Elsewhere
• anyatra: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (Place)

• jantubhiḥ: By living beings
• jantubhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता) in passive construction
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bharata (Bharata-varsha)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that karmic results (whether merit or sin) are finite and get exhausted; therefore, reliance on karma alone keeps one within saṃsāra, pointing the seeker toward liberation-oriented practice.

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

By highlighting the perishability of karmic rewards, the verse indirectly supports bhakti to the Supreme (especially Viṣṇu in Purāṇic teaching) as a means that is not limited to temporary heavenly fruits.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects the ritual-logic of karma-phala central to Kalpa (Vedāṅga of ritual procedure): actions generate specific results, but those results are consumable and not permanent.