Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38
The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge
Jñāna-pradarśanam
तस्य जानन्तिरागन्तोः कल्पयामास चार्हणम् । कन्दमूलफलाद्यैस्तु नारायणधिया मुने ॥ ३८ ॥
tasya jānantirāgantoḥ kalpayāmāsa cārhaṇam | kandamūlaphalādyaistu nārāyaṇadhiyā mune || 38 ||
Da sie ihn als soeben eingetroffenen Gast erkannte, bereitete sie einen würdigen Empfang—mit Knollen, Wurzeln, Früchten und dergleichen als Darbringung—o Weiser, den Geist auf Nārāyaṇa gerichtet.
Suta (narrating the account as part of the Purana dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that honoring a guest (atithi) is itself a dharmic act, and when done with remembrance of Nārāyaṇa, even simple foods become spiritually sanctified.
Bhakti is shown as inner orientation: the offering is modest (roots and fruits), but the mind is absorbed in Nārāyaṇa, making the act true worship through intention and reverence.
The verse primarily reflects smārta-prayoga (practical dharma) rather than a technical Vedāṅga; it emphasizes proper atithi-satkāra (guest reception) as a rule of conduct within ritual culture.