Shloka 18

नरनारायण-नारदसंवादः

Nara-Nārāyaṇa–Nārada Discourse on Vision, Elements, and Entry into Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

देवानिष्टवा तपस्तप्त्वा कृपणै: पुत्रगृद्धिभि: । दश मासान्‌ परिधृता जायन्ते कुलपांसना:

Transliteration

devāniṣṭvā tapastaptvā kṛpaṇaiḥ putragṛddhibhiḥ | daśa māsān paridhṛtā jāyante kulapāṃsanāḥ ||

Translation

Nārada nói: “Sau khi thờ phụng chư thiên và tu khổ hạnh, những kẻ đáng thương ấy—bị lòng tham khát con trai thúc bách—mang thai đủ mười tháng; vậy mà điều sinh ra lại là ‘kẻ làm nhơ bẩn gia tộc’: con cái đem đến ô nhục và suy đồi đạo hạnh cho dòng giống.”

Word by Word

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इष्ट्वा: having worshipped/sacrificed to
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), indeclinable

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तप्त्वा: having performed (austerity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), indeclinable

• कृपणैः: by/with wretched, miserly (persons)
• कृपणैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पुत्रगृद्धिभिः: by those greedy for sons
• पुत्रगृद्धिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रगृद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: —, — (numeral used adjectivally), —

• मासान्: months
• मासान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परिधृताः: being carried/borne (in the womb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-धृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जायन्ते: are born
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Lat (present), Atmanepada, Third, Plural

• कुलपांसनाः: defilers/disgraces of the family
• कुलपांसनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलपांसन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• devas (the gods)
• putra (sons/offspring)
• kula (lineage/family)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Merit from worship and austerity is undermined when driven by selfish craving—especially obsession with having sons. Intention matters: attachment and greed can yield harmful outcomes, producing descendants who disgrace the family rather than uphold dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is admonishing a mindset that treats religious acts and austerities as tools to obtain sons. He warns that such pitiable, desire-driven striving can result in offspring who become a burden and a stain upon the lineage.