Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

पादाभ्यङ्गं भक्तियुक्तो योऽतिथेः कुरुतेनरः । स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु गङ्गास्नानपुरःसरम् ॥ ७८ ॥

Transliteration

pādābhyaṅgaṃ bhaktiyukto yo'titheḥ kurutenaraḥ | sa snātaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu gaṅgāsnānapuraḥsaram || 78 ||

Translation

مَن دَلَّكَ قَدَمَ الضيفِ (الأَتِثي) بدافعِ البَكْتي والتعبّد، عُدَّ كأنّه اغتسل في جميعِ المَعابِرِ المقدّسة، وعلى رأسِها الاغتسالُ في نهرِ الغانغا.

Word by Word

• पाद-अभ्यङ्गम्: foot-massage
• पाद-अभ्यङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• भक्ति-युक्तः: endowed with devotion
• भक्ति-युक्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP-आधारित विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• अतिथेः: of a guest
• अतिथेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the guest)

• कुरुते: does/performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अन्वय-प्रदर्शक (correlative)

• स्नातः: (is) bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त/PPP, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (as if ‘having bathed’)

• सर्व-तीर्थेषु: in all sacred fords
• सर्व-तीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (in all holy places)

• गङ्गा-स्नान-पुरःसरम्: with the Ganga-bath foremost
• गङ्गा-स्नान-पुरःसरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्/विशेषणम्—‘गङ्गास्नानं पुरःसरं यस्य तत्’ (with Ganga-bath as foremost)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the dialogue on dharma and devotional conduct)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Atithi

FAQs

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

It equates sincere service to a guest—specifically washing/anointing the feet—with the highest pilgrimage merit, teaching that lived dharma and devotion can equal (or surpass) external sacred travel.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical reverence expressed through humble service; devotion is validated not merely by ritual display but by honoring the guest with heartfelt care.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual conduct (kalpa/ācāra) is emphasized: proper atithi-sevā is treated as a dharmic act yielding tīrtha-like merit, illustrating how right practice functions as a spiritual discipline.