Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 84
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
कल्माषपाद उवाच । गुरुस्तु कीदृशः प्रोक्तः कस्त्वयाश्लाघितः पुरा । तद्वदस्व सरवे सर्वं परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥ ८४ ॥
kalmāṣapāda uvāca | gurustu kīdṛśaḥ proktaḥ kastvayāślāghitaḥ purā | tadvadasva sarave sarvaṃ paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me || 84 ||
迦尔摩沙跋陀说道：“所说的理想上师是何等之人？你从前曾赞叹的是谁？请将一切详尽告知我，因为我极其好奇。”
Kalmāṣapāda
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It highlights śāstric jijnāsā (earnest inquiry): the seeker asks for the defining marks of an ideal guru and the lineage of praised teachers, implying that right knowledge begins with right guidance.
By insisting on knowing the ‘true guru,’ the verse points to bhakti being learned and stabilized through proper instruction—devotion matures when received from an authoritative, praised teacher rather than mere curiosity alone.
Indirectly, it stresses the Vedāṅga principle of correct transmission—learning śāstra through a qualified ācārya (teacher) so that recitation, meaning, and practice (including ritual procedure) are preserved accurately.