Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

कूपे पादफलं ज्ञेयं वाप्यां पद्माकरोन्मितम् । वापीशतगुणं प्रोक्तं कुल्यायां भूपतेः फलम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

kūpe pādaphalaṃ jñeyaṃ vāpyāṃ padmākaronmitam | vāpīśataguṇaṃ proktaṃ kulyāyāṃ bhūpateḥ phalam || 14 ||

Translation

Wisse: Ein Brunnen bringt nur ein Viertel des Verdienstes; ein Teich aber Verdienst, bemessen nach der Zahl der Lotusbeete, die er nährt. Ein großer Tank (vāpi) soll das Hundertfache des Teichverdienstes geben; und das Verdienst eines Bewässerungskanals (kulyā) wird dem König zugesprochen.

Word by Word

• कूपे: in/for a well
• कूपे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• पादफलम्: a quarter of the fruit (merit)
• पादफलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः: पादस्य फलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• वाप्याम्: in/for a tank
• वाप्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• पद्माकरोन्मितम्: measured as (that of) a lotus-pond
• पद्माकरोन्मितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्माकर + उन्मित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from उन्मा/उन्मि ‘to measure/estimate’, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to (पादफलम्/फलम्) by context; समासः: पद्माकरस्य उन्मितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वापीशतगुणम्: a hundredfold of (the merit of) a tank
• वापीशतगुणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी + शत + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः: वाप्याः शतगुणम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुल्यायाम्: in/for a canal
• कुल्यायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूपतेः: of the king
• भूपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• फलम्: fruit/merit
• फलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It ranks the spiritual merit (puṇya) of water-supply works, teaching that sustaining life through accessible water is a high dharmic act, with greater and broader benefit yielding greater merit.

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

While not directly a bhakti-verse, it supports bhakti through dharma: serving beings (by providing water) is a sattvic offering aligned with devotion, since caring for creation is treated as pleasing to the Divine order upheld by Vishnu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied dharma-śāstra reasoning—measuring merit by public utility and scope—useful for ritual planning (kriyā) and governance (rāja-dharma), though it does not specifically teach a technical Vedanga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.