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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 83

Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline

तमोग्रस्तान पश्यंति प्रकाशंतमसावृताः । सुदुष्प्रकाश इत्याहुर्नरकं तम एव च ॥ ८३ ॥

tamograstāna paśyaṃti prakāśaṃtamasāvṛtāḥ | suduṣprakāśa ityāhurnarakaṃ tama eva ca || 83 ||

تَمس میں گرفتار لوگ روشن چیز کو بھی گویا تاریکی میں لپٹی ہوئی دیکھتے ہیں۔ وہ کہتے ہیں ‘بہت دشوار روشنی’؛ اور وہی تَمس خود دوزخ کی مانند ہے۔

तमोग्रस्तान्those seized by darkness
तमोग्रस्तान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootतमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रस्त (√ग्रस् + क्त, कृदन्त)
Formतत्पुरुष समास (तमसा ग्रस्त = तमोग्रस्त); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case, Accusative), बहुवचन
पश्यन्तिsee
पश्यन्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पश्/√दृश् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन
प्रकाशम्light
प्रकाशम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case, Accusative), एकवचन
तमसाby darkness
तमसा:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case, Instrumental), एकवचन
आवृताःcovered
आवृताः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootआ√वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन
सुदुष्प्रकाशःvery hard to see/very dim
सुदुष्प्रकाशः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसु (अव्यय) + दुष् (अव्यय) + प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय/उपपद-समास (सु-दुष्-प्रकाश = अत्यन्तं दुष्प्रकाशः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√अह्/√ब्रू (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन
नरकम्hell
नरकम्:
Samanaadhikarana/Predicate (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
TypeNoun
Rootनरक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicate/apposition
तमःdarkness
तमः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), emphatic
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय (conjunction)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It teaches that “hell” is not only a place but an inner condition: when tamas dominates, even clear truth appears obscure, and that obscuration itself becomes suffering.

By implying that devotion and remembrance of the Divine remove tamas; when the heart is purified, the “light” (dharma and truth) is naturally perceived rather than dismissed as unknowable.

No specific Vedanga is taught directly; the practical takeaway is discernment (viveka): recognize tamas-driven perceptions and counter them through disciplined study, ethical conduct, and steady spiritual practice.