Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 133

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

Devanagari script

संख्यां निगदितुं लोके कः क्षमो विष्णुना विना । एतेषां सर्वपापानां धर्मशास्त्रविधानतः ॥ १३३ ॥

Transliteration

saṃkhyāṃ nigadituṃ loke kaḥ kṣamo viṣṇunā vinā | eteṣāṃ sarvapāpānāṃ dharmaśāstravidhānataḥ || 133 ||

Translation

在此世间，除毗湿奴尊主之外，谁能依《法论》(Dharma-śāstra)之规，圆满道出这一切罪业的数目？

Word by Word

• saṃkhyām: enumeration, counting
• saṃkhyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• nigaditum: to declare, to state
• nigaditum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni+gad (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक-अव्यय (verbal infinitive), ‘to state/declare’

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• kṣamaḥ: capable, competent
• kṣamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• viṣṇunā: by/with Vishnu
• viṣṇunā: Sahakari/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अपादानार्थ-निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (particle/preposition), ‘without’ (takes तृतीया/Instrumental)

• eteṣām: of these
• eteṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• sarva-pāpānām: of all sins
• sarva-pāpānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (pāpa), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय-समासः (‘all’ qualifying ‘sins’)

• dharma-śāstra-vidhānataḥ: according to the prescriptions of dharma-śāstra
• dharma-śāstra-vidhānataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + -tas (तसिल्/अव्ययप्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/according to’); तत्पुरुष-समासः (dharmaśāstra-vidhāna = ‘ordinance/prescription of dharma-śāstra’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue setting)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that the full scope and accounting of sin (pāpa) is ultimately beyond ordinary beings; only Viṣṇu, as the omniscient Lord, can truly encompass it—pointing the seeker toward divine reliance rather than pride in mere cataloging.

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

By declaring Viṣṇu alone as fully competent, the verse implicitly elevates surrender and devotion to Viṣṇu as the sure foundation, even when Dharma-śāstra discussions of sin and rule-based conduct become vast and complex.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Dharma-śāstra vidhi (scriptural injunction methodology): classification and regulation of conduct and sin, while also noting the epistemic limit—complete enumeration is not practically attainable for humans.