Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma

Devanagari script

चिरभोज्यं फलं तेषामुक्तं बहुविदा त्वया । दिनांते ब्रह्मणः प्रोक्तो नाशो लोकत्रयस्य वै ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

cirabhojyaṃ phalaṃ teṣāmuktaṃ bahuvidā tvayā | dināṃte brahmaṇaḥ prokto nāśo lokatrayasya vai || 57 ||

Translation

لقد شرحتَ بطرائق شتّى الثمرةَ الدائمة التي يهنأون بها، وصرّحتَ أيضًا بأنّه عند انقضاء يوم براهما يقع حقًّا فناءُ العوالم الثلاثة.

Word by Word

• चिरभोज्यम्: long-enjoyable/lasting to be enjoyed
• चिरभोज्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर + भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with फलम्

• फलम्: result/fruit
• फलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative Singular Neuter

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive Plural

• उक्तम्: was stated
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was said’

• बहुविदा: by the very learned one
• बहुविदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘knower’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental Singular Masculine; epithet ‘by the much-knowing one’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental Singular

• दिनान्ते: at the end (of the day)
• दिनान्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिनान्त (प्रातिपदिक; दिन + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative Singular Masculine; ‘at the end of the day’

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive Singular Masculine

• प्रोक्तः: was declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was declared’

• नाशः: destruction
• नाशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative Singular Masculine

• लोकत्रयस्य: of the three worlds
• लोकत्रयस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (त्रय), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive Singular Neuter; ‘of the three worlds’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; emphatic particle

Speaker

Narada (addressing Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Lokatraya (three worlds)

FAQs

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

It links lasting spiritual results (enduring phala) with the impermanence of the cosmos, reminding the seeker to value dharma and higher knowledge over transient worldly attainments.

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

By emphasizing that even the three worlds perish at Brahmā’s day-end, it implicitly directs devotion toward the imperishable—Bhagavan—whose refuge and remembrance yield the truly enduring fruit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily Puranic cosmology (time-cycles and pralaya) rather than a specific Vedanga; it supports traditional Jyotisha-style time reckoning by referencing Brahmā’s ‘day’ and cosmic periodic dissolution.