Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 131

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

Devanagari script

पापानां यातानानां च धर्माणां चापि भूपते । एवं बहुविधा भूप यातनाः पापकारिणाम् ॥ १३१ ॥

Transliteration

pāpānāṃ yātānānāṃ ca dharmāṇāṃ cāpi bhūpate | evaṃ bahuvidhā bhūpa yātanāḥ pāpakāriṇām || 131 ||

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา โทษทัณฑ์แห่งบาปและหลักแห่งธรรมได้กล่าวไว้ดังนี้แล้ว ด้วยประการฉะนี้ ข้าแต่ผู้ครองแผ่นดิน ความทรมานของผู้ทำบาปมีได้หลายประการ.

Word by Word

• पापानाम्: of sins
• पापानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• यातनानाम्: of punishments
• यातनानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• धर्माणाम्: of (their) dharmas/duties
• धर्माणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• बहु-विधाः: of many kinds
• बहु-विधाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Qualifier of यातनाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (बह्व्यः विधाः)

• भूप: O king
• भूप: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• यातनाः: punishments
• यातनाः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पाप-कारिणाम्: of sinners; of evil-doers
• पाप-कारिणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + णिनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पापं कुर्वन्ति)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to a king)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Bhupa (King)

FAQs

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

It closes a section by affirming the karmic law: sin (pāpa) yields specific sufferings (yātanā), while dharma is the corrective path that prevents such outcomes.

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

Indirectly, it prepares the ground for bhakti by emphasizing accountability: recognizing the results of pāpa encourages a devotee to adopt dharmic living and turn toward Vishnu-centered devotion as protection and purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-śāstra ethics—avoiding sinful conduct due to its defined karmic consequences.