Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Description of the Index/Summary of the Garuḍa

Purāṇa

Devanagari script

आवश्यकोत्तमं दानं प्रेतसौख्यकरोहनम् । शारीरकविनिर्देशो यमलोकस्य वर्णनम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

āvaśyakottamaṃ dānaṃ pretasaukhyakarohanam | śārīrakavinirdeśo yamalokasya varṇanam || 26 ||

Translation

يصف هذا المقطع أسمى أنواع الصدقة وأشدّها لزوماً—تلك التي تجلب السكينة لروح الميت (بريتا)؛ كما يبيّن عقيدة الآتمان المتجسّد، ويذكر وصف مملكة ياما.

Word by Word

• āvaśyaka-uttamam: the most necessary (excellent)
• āvaśyaka-uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvaśyaka (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; karmadhāraya-samāsa; agrees with dānam

• dānam: gift, charity
• dānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana

• preta-saukhya-kara-ohanam: that brings comfort to the departed spirit
• preta-saukhya-kara-ohanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + saukhya (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + ohana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa/arthatatpuruṣa sense: 'bringing about (ohanam) the making (kara) of comfort (saukhya) for the preta'

• śārīraka-vinirdeśaḥ: description of the body (corporeal matters)
• śārīraka-vinirdeśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārīraka (प्रातिपदिक) + vinirdeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'description/indication (vinirdeśa) of the body (śārīraka)'

• yama-lokasya: of Yama’s world
• yama-lokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'world of Yama'

• varṇanam: description
• varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramanika manner)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

It signals key subject-matter: dharmic charity that aids the departed, instruction on the embodied self, and the moral-eschatological framework of Yama’s realm—linking ethics (dana) with consequences after death.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing dharma and right conduct (especially dana) as supportive disciplines that purify life and prepare one for higher spiritual pursuit; the verse itself functions as a contents-summary rather than a direct bhakti teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practical dharma is implied through dana and preta-related welfare; while no single Vedanga is named, the verse points to applied ritual norms and doctrinal clarification (vinirdeśa) typical of dharma-śāstra style instruction.