Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 111
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
मोक्षं कदा प्रयास्यामि न जाने नृपसत्तम । एवं वदति विप्रेन्द्र वटस्थेऽस्मिन्निशाचरे ॥ ११ ॥
mokṣaṃ kadā prayāsyāmi na jāne nṛpasattama | evaṃ vadati viprendra vaṭasthe'sminniśācare || 11 ||
“Quando alcançarei a libertação (mokṣa)? Não sei, ó melhor dos reis.” Assim falou o mais eminente dos brāhmaṇas, permanecendo aqui, sob esta figueira-da-Índia, durante a noite.
Narrator (Suta-style narration within the Purana; the verse reports a dialogue line spoken by a Brahmin to a king)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It highlights existential urgency: even a learned person admits uncertainty about when liberation will be attained, prompting sincere practice of dharma and inner detachment rather than complacency.
While bhakti is not named explicitly in this line, the confession of not knowing “when moksha will come” supports the Purana’s broader message: take refuge in steady devotion and remembrance of the Lord, since outcomes and timing are not in one’s control.
No specific Vedanga (such as Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-spiritual discipline—maintaining vigilance and renunciation in daily life because the moment of spiritual fruition is uncertain.