Shloka 36

Bhadrā and Mitravindā: The Fruits of Namaskāra, Pradakṣiṇā, Hari-nāma, and Śravaṇa of Bhāgavata Kathā

Devanagari script

मौल्येन ये कथयेयुः पुराणं तेषां गतिः सूर्य सुनः सदैव / मौल्येन ये भागवतं पुराणं शृण्वन्ति वै हरिशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वम्

Transliteration

maulyena ye kathayeyuḥ purāṇaṃ teṣāṃ gatiḥ sūrya sunaḥ sadaiva / maulyena ye bhāgavataṃ purāṇaṃ śṛṇvanti vai hariśāstrārthatattvam

Translation

ผู้ที่กล่าวปุราณะเพื่อค่าตอบแทน ย่อมมีคติไปสู่อาณาจักรของยมะโอรสแห่งสุริยะเสมอ และผู้ที่จ่ายเงินเพื่อฟังภควตปุราณะ—แม้จะสอนความหมายแท้แห่งคัมภีร์ของพระหริ—ก็ย่อมต้องโทษเช่นเดียวกัน

Word by Word

• मौल्येन: for payment
• मौल्येन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतु (for a price/by payment)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृ

• कथयेयुः: would narrate
• कथयेयुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-धातु (to narrate)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• गतिः: destination
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ (subject)

• सूर्य-सूनुः: the son of the Sun (Yama)
• सूर्य-सूनुः: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• मौल्येन: for payment
• मौल्येन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतु

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृ

• भागवतम्: the Bhāgavata (text)
• भागवतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; भागवतम् इति विशेष्य (apposition)

• शृण्वन्ति: hear
• शृण्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• हरि-शास्त्र-अर्थ-तत्त्वम्: the true meaning of Hari’s scripture
• हरि-शास्त्र-अर्थ-तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म (as what is heard/understood; object in apposition/qualifier of भागवतम् पुराणम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Selling Purāṇa discourse (kathā) or treating Bhāgavata-śravaṇa as a paid transaction is a dharmic fault leading to Yama’s domain, despite the text’s true teaching.

Vedantic Theme: Purity of means (sādhana-śuddhi): even true content becomes spiritually harmful when approached with rājasic/mercantile intention; aparigraha as inner discipline.

Application: Keep śāstra-śravaṇa and teaching free from bargaining; accept unsolicited support without pricing the sacred; cultivate a gift economy rooted in gratitude rather than contract.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated condemnation of ‘mūlya’ (price) in sacred acts—selling mantra, ritual, or scripture; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama’s jurisdiction over adharma in religious conduct

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Surya

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding paid Purana recitation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats monetizing Purāṇa recitation/hearing as a dharmic fault, warning that it leads to Yama’s realm—implying spiritual knowledge should not be turned into a commodity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after such actions?

It states their “gati” (post-death destination) is toward the Sun’s son—Yama—signaling accountability and karmic adjudication for misusing sacred discourse.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Support teachers through respectful dāna/dakṣiṇā without treating scripture as a paid product, and approach listening/teaching as seva (service) rather than commerce.