Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96
Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy
स घोरं नरकं यातिव्याघ्रपक्षं चतुर्युगम् । यः स्वकर्मपरित्यागी पाषण्डीत्युच्यते बुधैः ॥ ९६ ॥
sa ghoraṃ narakaṃ yātivyāghrapakṣaṃ caturyugam | yaḥ svakarmaparityāgī pāṣaṇḍītyucyate budhaiḥ || 96 ||
यः स्वकर्म परित्यजति, स बुधैः पाषण्डीति उच्यते; स घोरं व्याघ्रपक्षनरकं चतुर्युगं याति॥
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue on dharma)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
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.
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.
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.