Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 102

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

नरस्त्विन्धनदानेन मुच्यते ह्युपपातकैः । शालग्रामशिलादानं महादानं प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ १०२ ॥

Transliteration

narastvindhanadānena mucyate hyupapātakaiḥ | śālagrāmaśilādānaṃ mahādānaṃ prakīrtitam || 102 ||

Translation

Durch das Spenden von Brennholz wird der Mensch wahrlich von geringeren Sünden befreit; und die Gabe eines Śālagrāma-Steines wird als höchstes, großes Geschenk (Mahādāna) gepriesen.

Word by Word

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• इन्धन-दानेन: by the gift of fuel
• इन्धन-दानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्धन (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्धनस्य दानम्)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• उपपातकैः: from minor sins
• उपपातकैः: Apadana/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपपातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शालग्राम-शिला-दानम्: the gifting of a Śālagrāma stone
• शालग्राम-शिला-दानम्: Karta/Pratipādya (कर्ता/प्रस्ताव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समाहार/निर्देशार्थ तत्पुरुष (शालग्रामशिलायाः दानम्)

• महा-दानम्: a great gift
• महा-दानम्: Samānādhikaraṇa/Predicate nominal (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् दानम्)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya/Predicate (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Shalagrama (Vishnu-svarupa)

FAQs

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

It ranks gifts by spiritual potency: simple, compassionate giving like firewood removes lesser faults (upapātaka), while donating a Śālagrāma—revered as a form of Viṣṇu—is praised as a mahādāna with exceptional devotional merit.

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

By elevating Śālagrāma-dāna, the verse links charity to Viṣṇu-centered devotion: honoring and supporting worship of Viṣṇu (through Śālagrāma) becomes a direct expression of bhakti, not merely social generosity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented discipline) is implied: proper dāna is treated as a structured dharmic act with defined results—removal of upapātaka and accrual of puṇya—especially when the gift is a recognized sacred emblem like Śālagrāma.