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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

अहो मायाकृतं कर्म खलाः कश्मलचेतसः । तावत्कुर्वन्ति कार्याणि यावत्स्यात्प्रबलं बलम् ॥ ४४ ॥

aho māyākṛtaṃ karma khalāḥ kaśmalacetasaḥ | tāvatkurvanti kāryāṇi yāvatsyātprabalaṃ balam || 44 ||

அஹோ! களங்கமனத்தையுடைய துஷ்டர்களின் மாயைத் தூண்டிய செயல் இதுவே; வலிமை வலுவாக இருக்கும் வரை அவர்கள் தங்கள் சூழ்ச்சிகளை நடத்துவர்.

अहोalas!/oh!
अहो:
Bhāva-prakāśaka (भावप्रकाशक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो (अव्यय)
Formविस्मयादि-निपात (exclamatory particle)
मायाकृतम्done by illusion
मायाकृतम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमाया + कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृत = कृ-धातोः क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण of कर्म
कर्मdeed/action
कर्म:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)
खलाःvillains
खलाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootखल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)
कश्मलचेतसःwhose minds are tainted
कश्मलचेतसः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootकश्मल + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); बहुव्रीहिः—'कश्मलं चेतः येषाम्' qualifying खलाः
तावत्so long/that long
तावत्:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतावत् (अव्यय)
Formपरिमाण/अवधि-अव्यय (correlative adverb: 'so long/so much')
कुर्वन्तिthey do
कुर्वन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)
कार्याणिtasks/acts
कार्याणि:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)
यावत्as long as
यावत्:
Sambandha-bodhaka (Correlation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयावत् (अव्यय)
Formयावत्-तावत् सहसम्बन्धि (correlative adverb: 'as long as')
स्यात्may be/should be
स्यात्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
प्रबलम्strong
प्रबलम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रबल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण of बलम्
बलम्strength/power
बलम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootबल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue context)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It warns that adharma is sustained by māyā and by temporary worldly power; when that strength declines, the wicked cannot continue their harmful projects—so one should rely on dharma and inner purity rather than force or deception.

By contrasting māyā-driven schemes with steadiness in righteousness, it indirectly points to bhakti as a refuge beyond fluctuating power—devotion to Bhagavan cultivates purity of mind (śuddha-citta) that is not dependent on external strength.

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discernment (nīti) and recognizing māyā’s role in motivating impure actions.