Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 113

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

स याति रौरवं घोरं ब्रह्महकत्यां च विन्दति । अन्याचाररतं दृष्ट्वा यः शक्तो न निवारयेत् ॥ ११३ ॥

Transliteration

sa yāti rauravaṃ ghoraṃ brahmahakatyāṃ ca vindati | anyācārarataṃ dṛṣṭvā yaḥ śakto na nivārayet || 113 ||

Translation

若见人沉溺邪行，而自己有力制止却不加制止者，必堕入可怖的罗罗婆（Raurava）地狱，并同样招致“梵杀罪”（brahma-hatyā，杀害婆罗门之罪）。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• रौरवम्: Raurava (hell)
• रौरवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रौरवम्)

• ब्रह्महत्याम्: the sin of killing a Brahmin (brahmahatyā)
• ब्रह्महत्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्यā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विन्दति: finds/obtains
• विन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्/विन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्याचार-रतम्: one devoted to improper conduct
• अन्याचार-रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √रम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying an implied object/person)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying यः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• निवारयेत्: should restrain/prevent
• निवारयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Raurava

FAQs

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

It teaches that dharma includes active responsibility: knowingly allowing wrongdoing when one has the power to prevent it becomes a grave sin with severe afterlife consequences.

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

Bhakti is supported by sadācāra (right conduct). This verse implies that devotion is not merely personal worship; it must be accompanied by protecting dharma and discouraging adharma when one is able.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights dharma-nīti (practical ethical discipline) as applied conduct—recognizing adharma and taking corrective action—rather than a technical Vedāṅga topic like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.