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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 150

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

अहो दरिद्रता दुःखं तत्राप्याशातिदुःखदा । आशाभिभूताः पुरुषा दुःखमश्नुवतेऽक्षयम् ॥ १५० ॥

aho daridratā duḥkhaṃ tatrāpyāśātiduḥkhadā | āśābhibhūtāḥ puruṣā duḥkhamaśnuvate'kṣayam || 150 ||

唉,贫穷即是苦;而在其中,连希望本身也成了更大的痛苦之源。被希望所压倒的人们,终将品尝无尽的忧伤。

अहोalas!/oh!
अहो:
भाव-प्रकाशक
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो (अव्यय)
Formविस्मय/खेद-अव्यय (interjection)
दरिद्रताpoverty
दरिद्रता:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootदरिद्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
दुःखम्misery/suffering
दुःखम्:
प्रेडिकेट-नाम (predicate noun: ‘is misery’)
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)
तत्रthere/in that (state)
तत्र:
अधिकरण (location)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेश-अव्यय (locative adverb: there/in that)
अपिalso/even
अपि:
सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)
आशा-अति-दुःख-दाgiving extreme sorrow through hope
आशा-अति-दुःख-दा:
विशेषण (qualifier of ‘daridratā’)
TypeAdjective
Rootआशा (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (अव्यय) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः: आशायाः अति दुःखं ददाति इति (upapada-tatpurusha; ‘giver of excessive sorrow due to hope’)
आशा-अभिभूताःoverpowered by hope
आशा-अभिभूताः:
विशेषण (qualifier of ‘puruṣāḥ’)
TypeAdjective
Rootआशा (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिभूत (कृदन्त, √भू धातु with अभि-; past passive participle)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः: आशया अभिभूताः (instrumental-tatpurusha sense)
पुरुषाःmen
पुरुषाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
दुःखम्suffering
दुःखम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
अश्नुवतेattain/experience
अश्नुवते:
क्रिया (Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√अश् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद
अक्षयम्endless/undiminishing
अक्षयम्:
विशेषण (qualifier of ‘duḥkham’)
TypeAdjective
Rootअक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

It identifies āśā (restless expectation) as a deeper root of duḥkha than external lack, urging vairāgya and contentment so the mind is not trapped in “unending” sorrow.

By warning against worldly expectation, it implicitly redirects hope toward the Divine—steadfast bhakti replaces anxious craving with surrender (śaraṇāgati) and inner steadiness.

No specific Vedāṅga is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-psychological discipline—checking desire (kāma) and expectation (āśā) as part of dhārmic self-regulation.