Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative

Devanagari script

अभक्त्या यत्तपस्तप्तैः केवलं कायशोषणम् । अभक्त्या यद्धुतं हव्यं भस्मनि न्यस्तहव्यवत् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

abhaktyā yattapastaptaiḥ kevalaṃ kāyaśoṣaṇam | abhaktyā yaddhutaṃ havyaṃ bhasmani nyastahavyavat || 9 ||

Translation

பக்தியின்றி செய்த தவம் வெறும் உடல் வாடுதலே; பக்தியின்றி அர்ப்பணித்த ஹவியம் சாம்பலில் வைத்த ஹவிபோல் பயனற்றது.

Word by Word

• abhaktyā: without devotion / by lack of devotion
• abhaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular. Nañ-Tatpurusha (Negative compound).

• yat: which / whatever
• yat: Visheshana (Adjective to tapaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular. Relative Pronoun.

• tapaḥ: penance / austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म) in passive sense, or Karta in passive construction
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular.

• taptaiḥ: by those who have performed/heated
• taptaiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural. Past Passive Participle (kta pratyaya). Refers to the agents performing penance.

• kevalam: only / mere
• kevalam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular. Used adverbially.

• kāyaśoṣaṇam: drying up of the body
• kāyaśoṣaṇam: Vidheya (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāyaśoṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular. Genitive Tatpurusha (kāyasya śoṣaṇam).

• abhaktyā: without devotion
• abhaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular.

• yat: which
• yat: Visheshana (Adjective to havyam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular.

• hutam: offered (in fire)
• hutam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular. Past Passive Participle (kta pratyaya).

• havyam: oblation / sacrificial offering
• havyam: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Subject in passive
• Type: Noun
• Root: havya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular.

• bhasmani: in ash
• bhasmani: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular.

• nyastahavyavat: like an oblation placed (in ash instead of fire)
• nyastahavyavat: Upama (Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nyastahavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Suffix 'vat' added to Bahuvrihi compound (nyastam havyam yasmin). Acts as an adverb/simile.

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It teaches that spiritual practices gain real merit only when enlivened by devotion; otherwise, austerity becomes mere self-mortification and ritual becomes empty form.

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

It places bhakti as the essential inner principle behind tapas and yajna—devotion is what makes an offering truly reach the Divine rather than remaining a hollow act.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It indirectly critiques mere ritualism: even correct yajna procedure (Kalpa) and recitation (Śikṣā/Chandas) are insufficient if the practitioner lacks devotional intent.