Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

The Description of the Glory of the Purāṇa

Purāṇa-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेत्पश्चाच्छतं मिष्टान्नपायसैः । दक्षिणां प्रददेच्छक्त्या भक्त्या प्रीयेत माधवः ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

brāhmaṇānbhojayetpaścācchataṃ miṣṭānnapāyasaiḥ | dakṣiṇāṃ pradadecchaktyā bhaktyā prīyeta mādhavaḥ || 42 ||

Translation

Danach soll man hundert Brahmanen mit Süßspeisen und in Milch gekochtem Reis (pāyasa) speisen und, nach Kräften, Dakṣiṇā (Ehrengabe) darreichen. Durch solche Bhakti wird Mādhava (Viṣṇu) erfreut.

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇān: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• bhojayet: should feed
• bhojayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative (प्रेरणार्थक), विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीय-पुरुष, एकवचन

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: afterwards)

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• miṣṭa-anna-pāyasaiḥ: with sweets, food, and rice-pudding
• miṣṭa-anna-pāyasaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: miṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक) + pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• dakṣiṇām: a fee/donation (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• pradadet: should give
• pradadet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, तृतीय-पुरुष, एकवचन

• śaktyā: according to ability
• śaktyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• prīyeta: may be pleased
• prīyeta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, तृतीय-पुरुष, एकवचन

• mādhavaḥ: Mādhava (Vishnu)
• mādhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a didactic sequence; traditional dialogue context with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Madhava
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that honoring brāhmaṇas through feeding and dakṣiṇā—done with sincere bhakti and within one’s means—is a concrete dharmic act that pleases Mādhava (Viṣṇu).

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

Bhakti is shown not only as inner feeling but as devotional service: offering nourishing food and respectful gifts as an act of worship, with the intention of pleasing Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual practice (kalpa-oriented conduct): proper hospitality (bhojana) and prescribed gifting (dakṣiṇā) performed ‘according to śakti,’ emphasizing disciplined, rule-based devotion rather than mere sentiment.