Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 140

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

Devanagari script

यच्चान्यस्य विनाशार्थं भजनं श्रीपतेर्नृप । सा तामस्यधमा भक्तिः खलभावधरा यतः ॥ १४० ॥

Transliteration

yaccānyasya vināśārthaṃ bhajanaṃ śrīpaternṛpa | sā tāmasyadhamā bhaktiḥ khalabhāvadharā yataḥ || 140 ||

Translation

اے بادشاہ، اگر شری پتی کی عبادت کسی دوسرے کی ہلاکت کے لیے کی جائے تو وہ تامسی اور ادنیٰ بھکتی ہے؛ کیونکہ وہ خبیث نیت پر قائم ہوتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• अन्यस्य: of another (person)
• अन्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनाशार्थम्: for destruction
• विनाशार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष/प्रयोजनवाचक (vināśāya arthaḥ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative used adverbially), एकवचन

• भजनम्: worship, devotion
• भजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √भज् (धातु) → भजन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: भाववाचक नाम (verbal noun/action noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रीपतेः: of the Lord of Śrī (Vishnu)
• श्रीपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śriyāḥ patiḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: that (devotion)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तामसी-अधमा: tamasic and lowest
• तामसी-अधमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामसी + अधमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (तामसी च सा अधमा च), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘bhaktiḥ’)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• खलभावधरा: bearing a wicked disposition
• खलभावधरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खल + भाव + धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (खलस्य भावः = khalabhāva; तं धरति इति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘bhaktiḥ’)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक (causal indeclinable: ‘because/since’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed as 'nṛpa' in the verse’s frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Sripati

FAQs

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

It declares that intention is decisive in devotion: worship done with the aim of harming others becomes the lowest, tāmasic bhakti, spiritually degrading rather than liberating.

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

It distinguishes genuine Viṣṇu-bhakti from counterfeit devotion driven by malice; true bhakti purifies the heart, whereas harm-intended worship is rooted in khalabhāva (wickedness) and therefore falls into tamas.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught here; the practical takeaway is dhārmic discernment (viveka) about motive (bhāva) in mantra, pūjā, and vrata—ritual acts should not be weaponized for another’s destruction.