Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam

The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya

Devanagari script

ये गोब्राह्मणशुश्रूषां कुर्वते सततं नराः । तीर्थयात्रापरा ये च ते वै भागवतोत्तमाः ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

ye gobrāhmaṇaśuśrūṣāṃ kurvate satataṃ narāḥ | tīrthayātrāparā ye ca te vai bhāgavatottamāḥ || 60 ||

Translation

Those people who constantly serve cows and brāhmaṇas, and those who are devoted to undertaking pilgrimages to sacred places—indeed, they are the best among the Bhāgavatas (devotees of the Lord).

Word by Word

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), बहुवचन

• गो-ब्राह्मण-शुश्रूषाम्: service to cows and Brahmins
• गो-ब्राह्मण-शुश्रूषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (service 'of cows and Brahmins'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• कुर्वते: they do / perform
• कुर्वते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial accusative), क्रियाविशेषण

• नराः: men / persons
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), बहुवचन

• तीर्थ-यात्रा-पराः: devoted to pilgrimage
• तीर्थ-यात्रा-पराः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (locative/goal sense: devoted to pilgrimage to tīrthas), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) to 'ते/नराः'

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक (emphasis)

• भागवत-उत्तमाः: the best Bhāgavatas
• भागवत-उत्तमाः: Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधाननाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Nārada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Go (Cow)
• Tīrtha

FAQs

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

It defines visible marks of an “uttama-bhāgavata”: sustained service (sevā) to cows and brāhmaṇas and sincere engagement in tīrtha-yātrā, treating these as lived expressions of devotion and dharma.

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

Bhakti is presented as practical reverence—honoring Bhagavān by honoring His dharmic supports: brāhmaṇas (Vedic learning, guidance, ritual purity) and cows (nourishment, sattva, sacred economy), and by purifying oneself through pilgrimage and sacred association.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily stresses dharma and tīrtha practice rather than a specific Vedāṅga; indirectly it aligns with Kalpa (right conduct/ritual discipline) through prescribed sevā and tīrtha-yātrā as regulated religious observances.