Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 107

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas and the Sin-destroying Power of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

नित्यं सन्निहितो मृत्युः संपदत्यंतचंचला । आसन्नमरणो देहस्तस्माद्दर्प्पं विमुचत ॥ १०७ ॥

Transliteration

nityaṃ sannihito mṛtyuḥ saṃpadatyaṃtacaṃcalā | āsannamaraṇo dehastasmāddarppaṃ vimucata || 107 ||

Translation

ความตายอยู่ใกล้เสมอ และความมั่งคั่งแปรปรวนยิ่งนัก กายนี้เข้าใกล้จุดจบทุกขณะ เพราะฉะนั้นจงละความทะนงตน

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative): ‘always’

• सन्निहितः: present/nearby
• सन्निहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + नि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मृत्युः)

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सम्पत्: prosperity/fortune
• सम्पत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• अत्यन्त-चञ्चला: extremely fickle
• अत्यन्त-चञ्चला: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + चञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘अत्यन्तं चञ्चला’) विशेषणम् (सम्पत्)

• आसन्न-मरणः: one whose death is near
• आसन्न-मरणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन्न (प्रातिपदिक/क्त-प्रत्ययान्त) + मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘आसन्नं मरणं यस्य सः’) विशेषणम् (देहः)

• देहः: body
• देहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival): ‘therefore/from that’

• दर्पम्: pride
• दर्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• विमुचत: abandon/release (you all)
• विमुचत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an instructive dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It teaches viveka (discernment) by reminding that death is always near and worldly fortune is unstable, so pride should be abandoned in favor of humility and spiritual striving.

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

By weakening darpa (ego-pride), the heart becomes receptive to bhakti; recognizing impermanence encourages taking refuge in the eternal—typically expressed in the Purana as devotion and surrender to Hari (Vishnu).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga technique is taught in this verse; it functions as nīti/upadeśa—practical ethical instruction supporting sādhana by cultivating humility and detachment.