Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 115

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

अस्तित्वे तुल्यपापास्ते मिथ्यात्वे द्विगुणा नृप । अपापे पातकं यस्तु समरोप्य विनिन्दति ॥ ११५ ॥

Transliteration

astitve tulyapāpāste mithyātve dviguṇā nṛpa | apāpe pātakaṃ yastu samaropya vinindati || 115 ||

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา หากความผิดที่กล่าวหามีอยู่จริง บาปจากการกล่าวย่อมเท่ากับความผิดนั้น; แต่หากเป็นเท็จ บาปย่อมทวีเป็นสองเท่า และผู้ใดใส่ร้ายผู้บริสุทธิ์แล้วติเตียน ผู้นั้นกระทำความผิดใหญ่หลวง

Word by Word

• अस्तित्वे: in (the case of) truth/existence
• अस्तित्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तुल्य-पापाः: equally sinful
• तुल्य-पापाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ते)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मिथ्यात्वे: in (the case of) falsehood
• मिथ्यात्वे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथ्यात्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• द्विगुणाः: double (in amount)
• द्विगुणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying an implied ‘sins/people’)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• अपापे: in the case of one who is not sinful / in a non-sin
• अपापे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• पातकम्: a sin/crime
• पातकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• समारोप्य: having attributed (a sin)
• समारोप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह्/रूप्? (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (absolutive/gerund) from समारोपयति (causative of सम्+आ+रुह्/√रुह् ‘to superimpose/attribute’); ‘having falsely attributed/superimposed’

• विनिन्दति: reviles/blames
• विनिन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + निन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed to a king within the discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that speech is karmically potent: truthful criticism still incurs a matching moral burden, but false blame doubles the sin—therefore one must practice सत्य (truth) and अहिंसा (non-harm) in words.

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

Bhakti requires inner and outer purity; refraining from nindā (censure) protects the mind from hatred and preserves sattva, making the heart fit for remembrance of Vishnu and devotional discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It mainly reflects Dharma-śāstra style conduct rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it underscores disciplined speech (vāk-saṃyama) and careful use of words—aligned with the precision valued in Vyākaraṇa (grammar) and Śikṣā (phonetics) for truthful communication.