Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Śokanivāraṇa: Non-brooding, Impermanence, Contentment, and Śuka’s Renunciation

Devanagari script

देवानिष्ट्वा तपस्तप्त्वा कृपणैः पुत्रहेतुभिः । दशमासान्परिधृता जायते कुलपांसनाः ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

devāniṣṭvā tapastaptvā kṛpaṇaiḥ putrahetubhiḥ | daśamāsānparidhṛtā jāyate kulapāṃsanāḥ || 30 ||

Translation

Dẫu có thờ phụng chư thiên và tu khổ hạnh—nhưng nếu kẻ keo kiệt chỉ làm vì mục đích cầu con trai—thì sau mười tháng mang thai, đứa trẻ sinh ra sẽ trở thành “bụi nhơ/ô uế của dòng tộc”.

Word by Word

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इष्ट्वा: having worshipped
• इष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having worshipped/sacrificed’

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तप्त्वा: having practiced
• तप्त्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having performed austerity’

• कृपणैः: by/with the miserly (people)
• कृपणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पुत्र-हेतुभिः: by motives for a son
• पुत्र-हेतुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य हेतवः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दश-मासान्: ten months
• दश-मासान्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परिधृता: (she) having carried
• परिधृता: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having been borne/carried around’

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Ātmanepada; ‘is born’

• कुल-पांसनाः: defilers of the family
• कुल-पांसनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + पांसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य पांसनः/पांसना), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Moksha-Dharma dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

It warns that ritual (deva-yajana) and austerity (tapas) performed with narrow, selfish intent—especially mere progeny-seeking—can yield spiritually barren results, producing outcomes that burden the family and obstruct dharma and moksha.

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

By implication, it contrasts desire-based worship with worship offered in a purified spirit. Bhakti is not bargaining for results; it is devotion aligned with dharma and inner transformation, not merely achieving worldly aims like a son.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the principle of ritual intentionality central to Vedic practice (yajna/tapas): the motive (hetu) and inner disposition (kṛpaṇatā vs. purity) determine the fruit, a key practical takeaway for conducting rites and vows in a dharmic way.