Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma
अन्नदास्तु मुनुश्रेष्ट भुंजंतः स्वादु यांति वै । नीरदा यांति सुखिनः पिबंतः क्षीरमुत्तममम् । तक्रदा दधिदाश्चैव तत्तद्भोगं लभंति वै । घृतदा मधुदाश्चैव क्षीरदाश्च द्विजोत्तम ॥ १८ ॥
annadāstu munuśreṣṭa bhuṃjaṃtaḥ svādu yāṃti vai | nīradā yāṃti sukhinaḥ pibaṃtaḥ kṣīramuttamamam | takradā dadhidāścaiva tattadbhogaṃ labhaṃti vai | ghṛtadā madhudāścaiva kṣīradāśca dvijottama || 18 ||
Oh el mejor de los sabios, quienes dan alimento llegan en verdad a gozar de comidas dulces y sabrosas. Quienes dan agua avanzan felices, bebiendo leche excelente. Quienes dan suero de mantequilla y quienes dan cuajada obtienen el disfrute de esas mismas ofrendas. Del mismo modo, oh el mejor de los nacidos dos veces, los dadores de ghee, de miel y de leche alcanzan el goce correspondiente a sus dones.
Narada (teaching a brahmin/sage interlocutor in the dāna-phala context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It teaches the dāna-phala principle: gifts offered with dharmic intent return as corresponding enjoyments and well-being, reinforcing charity as a concrete means of accruing puṇya.
While not explicitly naming a deity, it supports bhakti-informed dharma: serving living beings through annadāna and jaladāna is a devotional expression, and the Purana links such service with auspicious spiritual outcomes.
Ritual ethics (dharma-śāstra orientation) is emphasized: selecting sattvic gifts like food, water, milk, curd, ghee, and honey and understanding their stated phala (result) as part of practiced religious discipline.