Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 125

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

आरामच्छेदिनो यान्ति युगानामेकविंशतिम् । श्वभोजनं ततः सर्वा भुञ्जते यातनाः क्रमात् ॥ १२५ ॥

Transliteration

ārāmacchedino yānti yugānāmekaviṃśatim | śvabhojanaṃ tataḥ sarvā bhuñjate yātanāḥ kramāt || 125 ||

Translation

جو باغات و آرام گاہیں اجاڑتے ہیں وہ اکیس یُگ تک دوزخ میں رہتے ہیں۔ پھر انہیں کتے کا کھانا کھلایا جاتا ہے؛ اس کے بعد باری باری سب عذاب بھگتتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• ārāma-cchedinaḥ: those who cut down gardens/groves
• ārāma-cchedinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārāma (प्रातिपदिक) + cchedin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) ‘ārāmaṃ chinatti iti’; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yānti: go/attain
• yānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• yugānām: of yugas
• yugānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• eka-viṃśatim: twenty-one
• eka-viṃśatim: Kāla-parimāṇa (कालपरिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (द्विगु) numeral compound meaning ‘twenty-one’; Feminine (viṃśati-śabda), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as measure of time

• śva-bhojanam: dog’s food
• śva-bhojanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘śunas bhojanam’; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-avyaya (कालवाचक-अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय/तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय), ‘thereafter/from that’

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying yātanāḥ

• bhuñjate: eat/consume
• bhuñjate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Plural

• yātanāḥ: tortures/punishments
• yātanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• kramāt: in sequence/gradually
• kramāt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular used adverbially (अव्ययीभावार्थ) ‘in order/step by step’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

It teaches that harming shared, life-supporting spaces like gardens is a serious adharma; karma ripens into prolonged naraka-suffering, emphasizing stewardship and non-injury toward beings sustained by such places.

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

By warning against destructive acts, it indirectly supports bhakti as a life of dharma—serving and protecting what benefits others—since devotion to Vishnu is upheld through compassionate, non-harmful conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns with Dharma-shastra style nīti (ethical rule-making) rather than a technical Vedanga; the practical takeaway is karmic causality used as a behavioral guideline for social and ecological responsibility.