Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

सत्पात्रदानरहितं यद्द्र व्यं येन रक्षितम् । चौर्येण रक्षितमिव विद्धि लोकेषु निश्चितम् ॥ ७२ ॥

Transliteration

satpātradānarahitaṃ yaddra vyaṃ yena rakṣitam | cauryeṇa rakṣitamiva viddhi lokeṣu niścitam || 72 ||

Translation

Wisse gewiss in den Welten: Reichtum, den jemand bewacht, ohne ihn als Gabe einem würdigen Empfänger (satpātra) zu spenden, ist, als würde er durch Diebstahl bewacht.

Word by Word

• sat-pātra-dāna-rahitam: devoid of charity to the worthy
• sat-pātra-dāna-rahitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + pātra (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: सत्पात्रे दानं तेन रहितम् = ‘devoid of giving to worthy recipients’

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; correlating to dravyam

• dravyam: wealth/property
• dravyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; subject/predicate in passive construction

• yena: by which (by whom)
• yena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; agent-instrument in passive

• rakṣitam: protected
• rakṣitam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु) → rakṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘protected/guarded’

• cauryeṇa: by theft
• cauryeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caurya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• rakṣitam: protected
• rakṣitam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु) → rakṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; repeated for simile

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• viddhi: know/understand
• viddhi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• lokeṣu: in the worlds/among people
• lokeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• niścitam: certain/settled
• niścitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + ci (धातु) → niścita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adverbially ‘certainly/decidedly’ or predicative ‘is certain’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

FAQs

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

It teaches that wealth becomes spiritually purified and socially legitimate through satpātra-dāna; hoarding without righteous giving is treated as morally equivalent to theft.

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

By urging selfless giving to worthy recipients, it cultivates detachment and sattva—supports that strengthen bhakti by reducing possessiveness and aligning one’s resources with dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights dharma-nīti (applied ethics) around dāna—specifically the discernment of satpātra (proper recipient selection), a key practical principle used in ritual and social conduct.