Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तु सत्पजन्मानि चण्डालाः पापकारिणः । ततः षोडश जन्मानि शूद्राद्या हीनजातयः ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

tatastu satpajanmāni caṇḍālāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ | tataḥ ṣoḍaśa janmāni śūdrādyā hīnajātayaḥ || 59 ||

Translation

其后，作恶之罪人将七生为旃陀罗（caṇḍāla）。再后，又十六生堕于下贱之族——自首陀罗（śūdra）等卑下之生起。

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण-भाव (contextual adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (sequence adverb)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrastive particle)

• सत्प-जन्मानि: births as good persons (sat-people)
• सत्प-जन्मानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्प (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सत्प- = सत्/सत्-जन)

• चण्डालाः: Chāṇḍālas (outcastes)
• चण्डालाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पाप-कारिणः: evil-doing
• पाप-कारिणः: कर्ता-विशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (पापं करोति)

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण-भाव
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: कर्म-विशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र ‘जन्मानि’ इति नपुंसक-बहुवचनस्य विशेषणम् (numeral adjective)

• जन्मानि: births
• जन्मानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• शूद्र-आद्याः: those beginning with Śūdras (Śūdra etc.)
• शूद्र-आद्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (beginning with Śūdra)

• हीन-जातयः: low-born castes
• हीन-जातयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (हीनाः जातयः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karma-vipāka: persistent sinful action leads to repeated painful births and social degradation, urging the seeker to abandon pāpa and return to dharma as a prerequisite for spiritual progress.

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

By highlighting the heavy cost of pāpa, it implicitly points to purification—typically supported in Purāṇic teaching by repentance, dharmic living, and turning the mind toward Bhagavān through bhakti to break the cycle of degrading rebirths.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

None directly; the verse is primarily dharma-śāstra oriented (karma and rebirth). Practically, it supports the need for śuddhi (purificatory discipline) and ethical restraint rather than a specific Vedāṅga like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.