Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

गोदाननिरता ये च कन्यादानरताश्च ये । मदर्थं कर्म्मकर्त्तारस्ते वै भागवतोत्तमाः ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

godānaniratā ye ca kanyādānaratāśca ye | madarthaṃ karmmakarttāraste vai bhāgavatottamāḥ || 75 ||

Translation

Wer sich dem Spenden von Kühen widmet, und wer sich dem kanyādāna (der Hingabe der Tochter zur Ehe) widmet, und wer solche Taten um Meinetwillen vollbringt—der ist wahrlich der erhabenste unter den Bhaktas Bhagavāns.

Word by Word

• गोदाननिरताः: devoted to giving cows
• गोदाननिरताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो-दान-निरत (प्रातिपदिक; गो + दान + निरत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative plural; adjective)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative plural; relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (indeclinable conjunction)

• कन्यादानरताः: engaged in giving (in marriage) a maiden
• कन्यादानरताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्या-दान-रत (प्रातिपदिक; कन्या + दान + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative plural; adjective)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (indeclinable conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative plural; relative pronoun)

• मत्-अर्थम्: for my sake
• मत्-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; मत् + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of) (Masculine, Accusative singular; purpose)

• कर्मकर्तारः: doers of actions
• कर्मकर्तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म-कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मन् + कर्तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संज्ञा (Masculine, Nominative plural; noun)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative plural; demonstrative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeclinable particle of emphasis)

• भागवतोत्तमाः: the best devotees
• भागवतोत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; भागवत + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संज्ञा (Masculine, Nominative plural; noun)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada on Bhagavata-dharma)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan
• Narada

FAQs

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

It elevates charity (especially go-dāna and kanyā-dāna) when performed with devotional intention—“for my sake”—as a mark of the highest Bhagavata.

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

Bhakti is shown not only as worship or chanting, but as dedicating dharmic actions to Bhagavān; the inner offering (mad-artham) transforms social/ritual charity into devotional service.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to dharma-prayoga (proper performance of dāna and marriage rites) governed by Kalpa/Dharmaśāstra-style procedure—right act, right recipient/context, and right intention.