Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

अहो मायाकृतं कर्म खलाः कश्मलचेतसः । तावत्कुर्वन्ति कार्याणि यावत्स्यात्प्रबलं बलम् ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

aho māyākṛtaṃ karma khalāḥ kaśmalacetasaḥ | tāvatkurvanti kāryāṇi yāvatsyātprabalaṃ balam || 44 ||

Translation

آہ! داغدار دل بدکاروں کا یہ مایا سے چلایا ہوا عمل ہے؛ جب تک ان کی قوت مضبوط رہتی ہے، وہ اپنی سازشیں چلاتے رہتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• अहो: alas!/oh!
• अहो: Bhāva-prakāśaka (भावप्रकाशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादि-निपात (exclamatory particle)

• मायाकृतम्: done by illusion
• मायाकृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया + कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृत = कृ-धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण of कर्म

• कर्म: deed/action
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• खलाः: villains
• खलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• कश्मलचेतसः: whose minds are tainted
• कश्मलचेतसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कश्मल + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); बहुव्रीहिः—'कश्मलं चेतः येषाम्' qualifying खलाः

• तावत्: so long/that long
• तावत्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-अव्यय (correlative adverb: 'so long/so much')

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• कार्याणि: tasks/acts
• कार्याणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha-bodhaka (Correlation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: यावत्-तावत् सहसम्बन्धि (correlative adverb: 'as long as')

• स्यात्: may be/should be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रबलम्: strong
• प्रबलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण of बलम्

• बलम्: strength/power
• बलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It warns that adharma is sustained by māyā and by temporary worldly power; when that strength declines, the wicked cannot continue their harmful projects—so one should rely on dharma and inner purity rather than force or deception.

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

By contrasting māyā-driven schemes with steadiness in righteousness, it indirectly points to bhakti as a refuge beyond fluctuating power—devotion to Bhagavan cultivates purity of mind (śuddha-citta) that is not dependent on external strength.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is directly taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical discernment (nīti) and recognizing māyā’s role in motivating impure actions.