Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

औदासीन्यं गुरौ कृत्वा राक्षसीं तनुमाश्रितः । तत्रास्ते दुःखसंतत्पः कश्चिल्लोकविरोधकृत् ॥ ७१ ॥

Transliteration

audāsīnyaṃ gurau kṛtvā rākṣasīṃ tanumāśritaḥ | tatrāste duḥkhasaṃtatpaḥ kaścillokavirodhakṛt || 71 ||

Translation

استاد کے حق میں بے اعتنائی کر کے اس نے راکشسی فطرت اختیار کی؛ وہاں وہ مسلسل غم سے جلتا، دنیا کے دھرم کے خلاف عمل کرنے والا کوئی وجود بن کر رہتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• औदासीन्यम्: indifference
• औदासीन्यम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औदासीन्य (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुरौ: towards the teacher
• गुरौ: अधिकरण (Location/with respect to)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) from √कृ

• राक्षसीम्: demonic
• राक्षसीम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तनुम्)

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having assumed / resorted to
• आश्रितः: कर्ता-विशेषण/क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) from √श्रि with उपसर्ग आ-; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग (active sense: ‘having taken refuge/assumed’)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• आस्ते: he stays/sits
• आस्ते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दुःख: sorrow
• दुःख: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समास-पूर्वपद)

• संतत्पः: tormented
• संतत्पः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संतप्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सम्+√तप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः: दुःख-संतप्तः (तत्पुरुषः—‘tormented by sorrow’)

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: कर्ता (Karta/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• लोक: world/people
• लोक: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समास-पूर्वपद)

• विरोध: opposition
• विरोध: सम्बन्ध (in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समास-मध्यपद)

• कृत्: one who does/causes
• कृत्: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun) from √कृ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः: लोक-विरोध-कृत् (तत्पुरुषः—‘one who causes opposition to the world’)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

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

It warns that indifference to one’s guru is not a minor fault: it degrades one’s inner nature into a rākṣasa-like disposition, leading to sustained suffering and alienation from dharma.

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

Bhakti is grounded in humility and reverence; neglecting the guru undermines receptivity to divine instruction, so the mind turns hostile to dharmic life—blocking devotion’s growth and resulting in sorrow.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes śiṣya-ācāra (discipline of the student) central to Vedic transmission: learning depends on proper guru-sambandha (right relationship with the teacher), without which knowledge and practice become distorted.