Shloka 10

Śikṣā-nirūpaṇa (Exposition of Discipline): Son’s Marriage, Paternal Duty, and Royal Administration

Devanagari script

यः पुत्रस्य पितोद्वाहं न करोतीह मंदधीः । स मज्जेन्नरके घोरे ह्यप्रतिष्ठे युगायुतम् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

yaḥ putrasya pitodvāhaṃ na karotīha maṃdadhīḥ | sa majjennarake ghore hyapratiṣṭhe yugāyutam || 10 ||

Translation

若有愚钝之人于此世不为其子筹办婚姻，彼将沉堕可怖地狱，失却名誉与依怙，历经万万劫岁。

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; of karoti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• putrasya: of (his) son
• putrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• pituḥ: of the father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• udvāham: marriage (ceremony)
• udvāham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udvāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधार्थक निपात)

• karoti: does / performs
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/वर्तमान), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• iha: here (in this world)
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; location/context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (देशवाचक)

• manda-dhīḥ: dull-witted (person)
• manda-dhīḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of yaḥ (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘one whose intellect is dull’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता; of majjet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• majjet: would sink
• majjet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √majj (धातु)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• narake: in hell
• narake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ghore: terrible
• ghore: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; agreeing with narake

• hi: indeed / for
• hi: Emphasis/Reason (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (हेतौ/निश्चये)

• apratiṣṭhe: in the (hell) without footing
• apratiṣṭhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apratiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; agreeing with narake; ‘without support/standing’

• yugāyutam: for ten-thousand yugas (a very long time)
• yugāyutam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण; duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + ayuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘a multitude (ayuta) of yugas’ used adverbially as duration

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma-śāstra style passage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It frames vivāha (marriage) as a key gṛhastha-saṃskāra and a father’s dharmic responsibility; neglecting it is treated as a serious lapse that brings severe karmic consequences.

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

Indirectly: Narada’s framework assumes that stable dharma in household life supports orderly worship and vow-observance; neglect of prescribed duties undermines the disciplined life in which bhakti is practiced.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through vivāha-saṃskāra performance, and Jyotiṣa (electional astrology) is commonly applied in choosing an auspicious time (muhūrta) for marriage within dharmic practice.