Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

Yuga-Dharma Framework, Kali-Yuga Diagnosis, and the Hari-Nāma Remedy

Transition to Vedānta Inquiry

Devanagari script

विश्वस्तघातिनः क्रूरा दयाधर्मविवर्जिताः । भविष्यंति नरा विप्र कलौ चाधर्मबांधवाः ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

viśvastaghātinaḥ krūrā dayādharmavivarjitāḥ | bhaviṣyaṃti narā vipra kalau cādharmabāṃdhavāḥ || 63 ||

Translation

婆罗门啊，在迦梨时代，人们将变得奸诈，背叛信任他们的人；残酷无情，远离慈悲与达摩。确然，在迦梨中他们将成为不义（阿达摩）的同伴与亲族。

Word by Word

• viśvasta-ghātinaḥ: slayers of the trusting
• viśvasta-ghātinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśvasta (कृदन्त; धातु √vi-śvas (विश्‍वस्) + क्त) + ghātin (प्रातिपदिक; from धातु √han (हन्) with घातिन्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; विशेषण

• krūrāḥ: cruel
• krūrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; विशेषण

• dayā-dharma-vivarjitāḥ: devoid of compassion and righteousness
• dayā-dharma-vivarjitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayā (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (कृदन्त; धातु √vṛj/√varj (वर्ज्) + वि + क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; विशेषण; vivarjita = past passive participle (क्त)

• bhaviṣyanti: will be; will become
• bhaviṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra? (actually Lṛṭ/भविष्यत्काल Future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (Plural); परस्मैपद

• narāḥ: men; people
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• vipra: O brāhmaṇa
• vipra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• kalau: in the Kali (age)
• kalau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• adharma-bāndhavāḥ: friends/kinsmen of unrighteousness
• adharma-bāndhavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक) + bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kali (Kali-yuga)

FAQs

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

It warns that Kali-yuga corrupts character—betrayal, cruelty, and loss of dharma become normalized—so a seeker must consciously protect satya (truth), dayā (compassion), and dharmic conduct rather than follow the crowd.

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

By diagnosing Kali’s moral collapse, the verse implicitly points to bhakti as a stabilizing refuge: devotion disciplines the mind and restores compassion and righteousness when social norms tilt toward adharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is dharma-śāstra-based sadācāra—avoiding treachery (viśvasta-ghāta), cultivating dayā, and aligning conduct with righteous duty.