Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

यदि कामादिदुष्टात्मा देव पूजापरो भवेत् । दंभाचारः स विज्ञेयः सर्वपातकिभिः समः ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

yadi kāmādiduṣṭātmā deva pūjāparo bhavet | daṃbhācāraḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sarvapātakibhiḥ samaḥ || 39 ||

Translation

若有人内心为欲望等诸恶所败，却仍热衷于供奉神明，应知此人乃伪善之徒；其行径与一切罪人无异。

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्तसूचक-अव्यय)

• kāma-ādi-duṣṭa-ātmā: one whose self is corrupted by desire etc.
• kāma-ādi-duṣṭa-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + duṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—कामादिभिः दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य (तत्पुरुष-समास)

• deva: O Deva (O Lord)
• deva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; address

• pūjā-paraḥ: devoted to worship
• pūjā-paraḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण; समासः—पूजायां परः (तत्पुरुष)

• bhavet: may be / should become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada

• daṃbha-ācāraḥ: hypocritical conduct
• daṃbha-ācāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃbha (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—दंभः एव आचारः (कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; pronoun

• vijñeyaḥ: should be known (as)
• vijñeyaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/अनिय), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘to be known/should be regarded’

• sarva-pātakibhiḥ: with all sinners
• sarva-pātakibhiḥ: Upamāna/Instrument (तृतीया-सम्बन्ध; comparison set)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātakin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—सर्वे पातकिनः (कर्मधारय)

• samaḥ: equal
• samaḥ: Kriya-anvaya (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It teaches that outward deity-worship (pūjā) is spiritually fruitful only when supported by inner purity; worship performed with a mind ruled by desire and vice becomes mere hypocrisy (dambha) and is counted as gravely sinful.

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

It distinguishes genuine bhakti—rooted in sincerity, self-restraint, and moral conduct—from performative devotion; true devotion requires transforming kāma and related passions rather than masking them with ritual display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly emphasizes correct ritual intention and conduct (prayoga and ācāra) rather than technical Vedanga details; the practical takeaway is that ritual correctness without ethical discipline is considered defective in dharma teaching.