Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

असूयानिरताः सर्वे दंभाचारपरायणाः । प्रजाश्चाल्पायुषः सर्वा भविष्यंति कलौ युगे ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

asūyāniratāḥ sarve daṃbhācāraparāyaṇāḥ | prajāścālpāyuṣaḥ sarvā bhaviṣyaṃti kalau yuge || 25 ||

Translation

ในกลียุค คนทั้งปวงจะหมกมุ่นในความอิจฉาและยึดมั่นในความประพฤติอันเสแสร้ง และสรรพชีวิตทั้งหลายจะมีอายุสั้นลง

Word by Word

• असूया-निरताः: engaged in envy
• असूया-निरताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असूया (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); तत्पुरुषः: ‘असूयायां निरताः’

• सर्वे: all (people)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)

• दंभ-आचार-परायणाः: devoted to hypocritical conduct
• दंभ-आचार-परायणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंभ (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला: ‘दंभाचारः परायणः’ / ‘दंभाचार-परायण’ = devoted to hypocritical conduct

• प्रजाः: people/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अल्प-आयुषः: short-lived
• अल्प-आयुषः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); बहुव्रीहिः: ‘अल्पम् आयुः येषाम् ताः’ (short-lived)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom. 1), बहुवचन (pl.); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘प्रजाः’)

• भविष्यन्ति: will be/become
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (pl.); परस्मैपदम्

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc. 7), एकवचन (sg.)

• युगे: in the age
• युगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc. 7), एकवचन (sg.); ‘कलौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/सम्बन्ध (locative apposition)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kali Yuga

FAQs

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

It warns that Kali Yuga is marked by inner vices—envy and hypocrisy—which erode dharma and even shorten human vitality; the teaching urges cultivating sincerity, restraint, and dharmic conduct as spiritual safeguards.

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

By highlighting envy and pretence as dominant Kali traits, it implicitly points to bhakti as the corrective—humble, sincere devotion that replaces asūyā (fault-finding) with reverence and replaces dambha (show) with genuine practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discipline (sadācāra) and self-observation—reducing envy and hypocrisy to protect one’s dharmic life in Kali Yuga.