Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 61
Hanūmaccarita
The Account of Hanumān
कर्दमं काष्ठदंडं च भुक्त्वा पीत्वाथ हर्षितः । एतादृशो मुनिरसौ चंडालसदृशाकृतिः ॥ ६१ ॥
kardamaṃ kāṣṭhadaṃḍaṃ ca bhuktvā pītvātha harṣitaḥ | etādṛśo munirasau caṃḍālasadṛśākṛtiḥ || 61 ||
Ông ăn bùn, thậm chí cả một cây gậy gỗ, rồi lại uống (thứ ấy) mà lòng hoan hỷ. Vị hiền sĩ ấy có dáng vẻ như một caṇḍāla (kẻ ngoài giai cấp).
Narada (narrating to Sanatkumara and the Kumara brothers)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It warns that when inner discipline collapses, even one called a “sage” can fall into degrading behavior—outer status cannot substitute for purity, restraint, and true dharma.
By implication, it contrasts genuine spiritual life with mere appearance: bhakti and sādhanā require sāttvika conduct and humility; without inner devotion and self-control, one may become spiritually and socially degraded.
The takeaway is ethical: Vedāṅga learning (like Vyākaraṇa and Śikṣā) is meant to be supported by sadācāra and restraint—knowledge without character leads to downfall.