Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Hari-nāma Mahimā and Caraṇāmṛta: The Redemption of the Hunter Gulika

Uttaṅka Itihāsa

Devanagari script

अहो बलवती माया मोहयत्यखिलं जगत् । पुत्रमित्रकलत्रार्थं सर्वं दुःखेन योजयेत् ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

aho balavatī māyā mohayatyakhilaṃ jagat | putramitrakalatrārthaṃ sarvaṃ duḥkhena yojayet || 39 ||

Translation

ہائے! مایا کتنی زورآور ہے—وہ سارے جہان کو موہ لیتی ہے اور بیٹے، دوست اور زوجہ کی خاطر ہر چیز کو دکھ کے بندھن میں جکڑ دیتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• अहो: alas!/oh!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन/उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: निपात (exclamation)

• बलवती: powerful
• बलवती: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माया: illusion
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• मोहयति: deludes
• मोहयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative)

• अखिलम्: entire; all
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• पुत्रमित्रकलत्रार्थम्: for the sake of son, friend, and wife
• पुत्रमित्रकलत्रार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + मित्र + कलत्र + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (पुत्र-मित्र-कलत्राणाम् अर्थः/हेतुः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative; adverbial goal/purpose), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• दुःखेन: with suffering; by pain
• दुःखेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• योजयेत्: would yoke/attach; would involve
• योजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Maya

FAQs

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

It warns that Māyā powerfully deludes beings into mistaking family-centered identity and possession as the highest aim, thereby yoking the mind to repeated sorrow; the implied remedy is dispassion and turning toward liberation-oriented living.

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

By exposing how attachment to son, friends, and spouse becomes a cause of suffering, the verse redirects the heart from possessiveness to steadier refuge—devotion to Bhagavān (especially Vishnu-bhakti) that is not dependent on changing worldly relationships.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-psychological discernment (viveka) used in Dharma and Moksha teachings—recognizing attachment as a source of duḥkha and cultivating vairāgya.