Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma

Devanagari script

यद्यत्पापतरं तत्तत्किमर्थं चरितं जनाः । कृतवंतः पुरा पापान्यत्यंतहर्षिताः ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

yadyatpāpataraṃ tattatkimarthaṃ caritaṃ janāḥ | kṛtavaṃtaḥ purā pāpānyatyaṃtaharṣitāḥ || 46 ||

Translation

Bakit ang mga tao ay gumagawa mismo ng mga gawaing higit na makasalanan—maging ang pinakamasama? Noong una’y gumawa na sila ng kasalanan, at ginawa pa iyon nang labis na nagagalak.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; correlative ‘whatever’ (reduplicated)

• यत्: each (whatever)
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; repetition for distributive sense

• पापतरम्: more sinful
• पापतरम्: कर्मविशेषण (Qualifier of object/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + तर (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; comparative (तर)

• तत्: that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; correlative ‘that’ (reduplicated)

• तत्: each such
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; repetition for distributive sense

• किम्: what
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative/प्रश्नार्थक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative

• अर्थम्: purpose
• अर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चरितम्: committed
• चरितम्: कर्म (Object notion/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘done/committed’

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• कृतवन्तः: having done
• कृतवन्तः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक कर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle/क्तवत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with ‘जनाः’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverbial/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb of time

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• अत्यन्त: exceedingly
• अत्यन्त: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; intensifier/adverb ‘excessively’ (compound member)

• हर्षिताः: delighted
• हर्षिताः: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate adjective of subject/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त) used adjectivally, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate of ‘जनाः’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It highlights the paradox of human conduct: due to ingrained tendencies (pāpa-vāsanā) and delusion, people not only fall into sin but can even take pleasure in it—prompting the need for dharma, self-restraint, and purification.

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

By exposing attraction to pāpa as a core obstacle, the verse implicitly points toward bhakti as a purifier of desire—redirecting delight from wrongdoing to remembrance, praise, and service of Bhagavān.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It chiefly teaches ethical discernment rather than a technical Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway aligns with dharma-śāstra style discipline—examining motives, restraining harmful impulses, and cultivating sattva through regulated conduct.