Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
दद्यादाढ्यस्तु नगरं हस्तमात्रमकिञ्चनः । भुवं तयोः समफलं प्राहुर्वेदविदो जनाः ॥ १६ ॥
dadyādāḍhyastu nagaraṃ hastamātramakiñcanaḥ | bhuvaṃ tayoḥ samaphalaṃ prāhurvedavido janāḥ || 16 ||
Der Reiche soll sogar eine Stadt schenken, der Bedürftige aber nur, was in seine Hand passt; die weisen Kenner der Veden erklären, dass die geistliche Frucht beider Gaben gleich ist.
Narada (teaching Dana-Dharma in the Narada Purana discourse tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that the merit (puṇya/phala) of charity is judged by sincerity and capacity, not by absolute monetary size—so a small gift given by the poor can equal a vast gift given by the rich.
By valuing intention over magnitude, it aligns with bhakti’s emphasis on heartfelt offering—what matters is the devotee’s inner dedication rather than external display.
It primarily reflects Dharma-śāstra style reasoning (ethical application of Vedic authority): charity should be calibrated to one’s śakti (means), indicating a practical rule for ritualized giving rather than a technical Vedanga like Vyākaraṇa.