Shloka 60

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

मर्त्यलोके महाश्चर्ये भूमौ कर्मसुदुर्लभे । लोभमोहमहाग्राहे कामक्रोधमहार्णवे ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

martyaloke mahāścarye bhūmau karmasudurlabhe | lobhamohamahāgrāhe kāmakrodhamahārṇave || 60 ||

Translation

ในมรรตยโลกอันน่าอัศจรรย์นี้—บนแผ่นดินที่การกระทำอันเป็นธรรมทำได้ยากยิ่ง—สัตว์โลกถูกจระเข้ใหญ่คือความโลภและความหลงงับไว้ และถูกพัดพาลงสู่มหาสมุทรอันกว้างใหญ่คือกามและโทสะ।

Word by Word

• मर्त्य-लोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्य-लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘मर्त्यानां लोकः’

• महा-आश्चर्ये: (which is) a great wonder
• महा-आश्चर्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘महत् आश्चर्यम्’ (qualifying the locus)

• भूमौ: on earth
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कर्म-सु-दुर्लभे: very hard to attain by (mere) action
• कर्म-सु-दुर्लभे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सु (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/प्रादि) + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘कर्मणा (कर्म-मार्गे) सु-दुर्लभम्’ (very difficult to obtain through action)

• लोभ-मोह-महा-ग्राहे: in the great crocodile (of) greed and delusion
• लोभ-मोह-महा-ग्राहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative): ‘लोभ-मोहौ एव महाग्राहः’ / ‘लोभमोह-रूपः महाग्राहः’ (metaphor: great crocodile of greed and delusion)

• काम-क्रोध-महा-अर्णवे: in the great ocean (of) desire and anger
• काम-क्रोध-महा-अर्णवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘कामक्रोध-रूपः महाऽर्णवः’ (great ocean of desire and anger)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a didactic passage within Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It frames earthly life as spiritually precious yet perilous: dharmic karma is difficult, and the chief inner enemies—greed, delusion, desire, and anger—drag the mind away from liberation.

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

By highlighting the mind’s captivity to kama–krodha and lobha–moha, it implies the need for a saving refuge; in Narada’s teaching, steady devotion and remembrance of Bhagavan (especially Vishnu) becomes the means to cross this “ocean” of passions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is directly taught; the practical takeaway is ethical self-discipline—mastery over anger and desire—so that ritual and dharma are not undermined by inner faults.