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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

शरीरं पापसंभूतं पापेनैव प्रवर्तते । पापमूलमिदं ज्ञात्वा कथं हन्तुं समुद्यतः ॥ ५८ ॥

śarīraṃ pāpasaṃbhūtaṃ pāpenaiva pravartate | pāpamūlamidaṃ jñātvā kathaṃ hantuṃ samudyataḥ || 58 ||

یہ جسم گناہ سے پیدا ہوا ہے اور گناہ ہی سے چلتا ہے۔ اسے گناہ کی جڑ جان کر کوئی (دوسرے کو) قتل کرنے پر کیسے آمادہ ہو سکتا ہے؟

śarīrambody
śarīram:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
pāpa-saṃbhūtamborn of sin
pāpa-saṃbhūtam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhūta (सम्+भू धातु + क्त)
FormTatpuruṣa: pāpāt saṃbhūtam ‘arisen from sin’; PPP (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; qualifies śarīram
pāpenaby/through sin
pāpena:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
evaonly/indeed
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), restriction/emphasis
pravartatefunctions/acts
pravartate:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra√vṛt (प्र+वृत् धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular
pāpa-mūlamhaving sin as its root
pāpa-mūlam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormKarmadhāraya: pāpaṃ mūlam yasya / pāpa-mūlam ‘sin as its root’; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective of idam/śarīram
idamthis
idam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative
jñātvāhaving known
jñātvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootjñā (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having known’
kathamhow?
katham:
Prayojana (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
FormInterrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय)
hantumto kill
hantum:
Karma-prayojana (कर्म-प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Roothan (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
FormInfinitive (तुमुनन्त), ‘to kill’
samudyataḥready/intent (to do)
samudyataḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsam-ud-√yam (सम्+उद्+यम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
FormPPP (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having risen/undertaken’, predicate of (tvam) implied

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; anti-violence and moral discernment in embodied life)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It warns that embodied life is easily propelled by pāpa-born impulses; recognizing this root, a seeker should restrain harmful actions and turn toward purification and liberation-oriented dharma.

By exposing the body’s tendency toward sinful momentum, it indirectly supports bhakti as a purifying discipline—redirecting the mind from हिंसा (violence) and ego-driven action toward compassionate, God-centered conduct.

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharmic self-restraint (especially ahiṃsā) as a foundation for purification before higher disciplines.