Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

The Account of the Ekādaśī Vow Observed Throughout the Twelve Months

Devanagari script

केशवं केशिहंतारं देवदेवं सनातनम् । भोजयेच्च ततो विप्रान्विसृजेल्लब्धदक्षिणान् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

keśavaṃ keśihaṃtāraṃ devadevaṃ sanātanam | bhojayecca tato viprānvisṛjellabdhadakṣiṇān || 49 ||

Translation

Nachdem man zuerst Keśava verehrt hat — den Bezwinger Keśin’s, den Gott der Götter, den Ewigen — soll man sodann die Brāhmaṇas speisen und sie danach, nachdem sie die Dakṣiṇā empfangen haben, ehrerbietig entlassen.

Word by Word

• केशवम्: Keśava (Vishnu)
• केशवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; अर्च्य/भोज्य देवता (object)

• केशि-हन्तारम्: slayer of Keśī
• केशि-हन्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिन्/केशि (प्रातिपदिक) + हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: केशेः हन्ता (slayer of Keśī)

• देव-देवम्: god of gods
• देव-देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानां देवः (god of gods)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; केशवम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजयति]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to eat/feed)

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

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (thereafter/from that)

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• विसृजेत्: should dismiss/send off
• विसृजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• लब्ध-दक्षिणान्: who have received the fee (dakṣiṇā)
• लब्ध-दक्षिणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लभ्) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव: लब्धा दक्षिणा येषाम् (those who have received the honorarium); विप्रान् इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (in instruction/summary mode within the Purva Bhaga Fourth Pada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Keshava
• Keshi

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Keśava is completed through dharmic conduct—honoring sacred knowledge-bearers (brāhmaṇas) with food and dakṣiṇā after worship, turning pūjā into an act of service and merit.

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

Bhakti here is not only praise of Viṣṇu (Keśava) but also humble, orderly worship expressed through hospitality and giving; feeding brāhmaṇas after the deity’s worship is presented as a practical extension of devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual discipline (kalpa-oriented practice): the sequence of deity worship, brāhmaṇa-bhojana, and dakṣiṇā with respectful dismissal—core procedural knowledge used in vrata and pūjā frameworks.