Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132
Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna
सक्ताय देवपूजासु विप्रायाढकिकां महीम् । दत्त्वा लभेत गङ्गायां त्रिरात्रस्नानजं फलम् ॥ ३२ ॥
saktāya devapūjāsu viprāyāḍhakikāṃ mahīm | dattvā labheta gaṅgāyāṃ trirātrasnānajaṃ phalam || 32 ||
Wer einem Brahmanen, der der Verehrung der Götter hingegeben ist, ein Landstück im Maß einer āḍhaka schenkt, erlangt das Verdienst, das aus drei Nächten Bad in der Gaṅgā entsteht.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches a dharmic equivalence: sincere dāna (especially land-gift to a worthy vipra engaged in deva-pūjā) can yield the same punya as an esteemed tīrtha-practice such as three-night bathing in the Gaṅgā.
It honors devotion expressed through service and support of sacred worship—by empowering a devapūjā-parāyaṇa vipra through charity, one participates in devotional culture and gains spiritual merit.
It reflects ritual-dharma pragmatics: eligibility (a worthy recipient engaged in worship) and precise measurement (āḍhaka as a standard unit) matter in dāna-vidhi, a principle aligned with kalpa/ritual procedure.