Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

The Exposition of the Ṣaṣṭhī-vrata Observed Through the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

कन्यकाश्चैव संभोज्य ब्राह्मणान्दश पंच च । भक्ष्यभोज्यैर्बहुविधैर्दत्वा दानानि भूरिशः ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

kanyakāścaiva saṃbhojya brāhmaṇāndaśa paṃca ca | bhakṣyabhojyairbahuvidhairdatvā dānāni bhūriśaḥ || 25 ||

Translation

Man soll auch junge Mädchen bewirten und fünfzehn Brāhmaṇas speisen; und mit vielerlei Speisen—Imbissen und gekochten Gerichten—reichlich Gaben als Almosen darbringen.

Word by Word

• कन्यकाः: girls
• कन्यकाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural (objects to be fed)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/indeed)

• संभोज्य: having fed
• संभोज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund) ‘having fed/entertained’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• दश: ten
• दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन्/पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भक्ष्य-भोज्यैः: with eatables and foods
• भक्ष्य-भोज्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (भक्ष्याणि च भोज्यानि च); Instrumental plural

• बहुविधैः: of many kinds
• बहुविधैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (बहु + विध); agrees with भक्ष्य-भोज्यैः

• दत्वा: having given
• दत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund) ‘having given’

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• भूरिशः: abundantly
• भूरिशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरिशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of quantity: abundantly)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It presents annadāna (giving food) and generous dāna as direct, practical dharma that generates puṇya through hospitality, reverence to brāhmaṇas, and compassionate giving.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as seva—serving the worthy and giving with abundance—where worship is not only ritual praise but also tangible care, offered in a spirit of sacred duty.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa-oriented ritual practice: prescribed numbers and the act of bhojana/dāna indicate structured dharma-kriyā (ritual duty), emphasizing correct performance and generosity rather than technical grammar or astronomy.