Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

परमान्नप्रदानेन मम स्यादिष्टदायकः । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेत्पश्चाच्छक्तितो बन्धुभिः सह ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

paramānnapradānena mama syādiṣṭadāyakaḥ | brāhmaṇānbhojayetpaścācchaktito bandhubhiḥ saha || 22 ||

Translation

Durch die Darbringung der erlesensten gekochten Speise (paramānna) wird er für mich zum Gewährer des Ersehnten. Danach soll er, nach seinen Möglichkeiten, Brāhmaṇas speisen, zusammen mit seinen Verwandten.

Word by Word

• परम-अन्न-प्रदानेन: by the offering of excellent food
• परम-अन्न-प्रदानेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; तृतीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः— ‘परमस्य अन्नस्य प्रदानम्’ (offering of excellent food)

• मम: for me / of me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (genitive)

• स्यात्: may be / would become
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• इष्ट-दायकः: giver of desired boons
• इष्ट-दायकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + दायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः— ‘इष्टस्य दायकः’ (giver of desired [boons])

• ब्राह्मणान्: brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; णिच्-प्रत्यय (Causative) — ‘cause to eat/feed’

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb) — afterwards

• शक्तितः: according to one’s capacity
• शक्तितः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb) — ‘from/according to ability’

• बन्धुभिः: with relatives
• बन्धुभिः: Saha (सह/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; तृतीया, बहुवचनम्

• सह: together with
• सह: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्ययम् (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Narada (instructional voice within a dāna/anna-dāna context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that offering the best food as dāna, followed by feeding Brāhmaṇas within one’s means, is a dharmic act that pleases the deity and yields desired spiritual and worldly fruits.

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

Bhakti is expressed through reverent service: giving the finest food and honoring Brāhmaṇas as recipients of sacred hospitality becomes a practical form of devotion that aligns one’s resources with worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): the ordered sequence—offering/gifting food and then conducting brāhmaṇa-bhojana—performed “according to capacity” (śaktitaḥ) as a rule of ritual propriety.