Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 118

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

कंचित्कालं पिशाचत्वं प्राप्यांते मोक्षमश्नुते । तस्मात्तु दीक्षितः कुर्य्यान्नित्यनैमित्तिकादिकम् ॥ ११८ ॥

Transliteration

kaṃcitkālaṃ piśācatvaṃ prāpyāṃte mokṣamaśnute | tasmāttu dīkṣitaḥ kuryyānnityanaimittikādikam || 118 ||

Translation

แม้จะตกอยู่ในภาวะปิศาจอยู่ชั่วกาลหนึ่ง ท้ายที่สุดก็ยังบรรลุโมกษะได้ ดังนั้นผู้ได้รับทีกษาควรปฏิบัติกิจนิตย์และนัยมิตติกเป็นต้นโดยไม่ขาด

Word by Word

• कञ्चित्: some
• कञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-विशेषण (indefinite) qualifying 'कालम्'

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-परिमाणे (extent of time)

• पिशाचत्वम्: state of being a piśāca
• पिशाचत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचत्व (प्रातिपदिक; पिशाच + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having attained'

• अन्ते: in the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग: 'at the end'

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्नुते: attains
• अश्नुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपं कारणार्थे अव्ययीभूतम्; 'therefore/from that reason'

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• दीक्षितः: the initiated person
• दीक्षितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (√दिक्ष्/√दीक्ष् धातु, क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नित्य-नैमित्तिक-आदिकम्: daily and occasional (rites) etc.
• नित्य-नैमित्तिक-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व: 'नित्यं च नैमित्तिकं च' + 'आदि' = 'and the like'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It stresses that even after severe karmic consequences, liberation is possible, but the initiated person must uphold obligatory daily and occasional rites as the disciplined path that supports purification and final mokṣa.

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

While framed in ritual duty, it supports bhakti indirectly by insisting on steady dharmic discipline (nitya-naimittika karma), which purifies the practitioner and stabilizes the mind for devotion and remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual science: correct performance of nitya and naimittika karmas (a core concern of Kalpa/Vedāṅga practice), emphasizing procedural regularity and occasion-based rites.