Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39
The Description of the Glory of the Purāṇa
Purāṇa-Māhātmya
हस्त्यश्वरथदानैश्च प्रीणयेत्सततं गुरुम् । यस्तु व्याकुरुते विप्राः पुराणं धर्मसंग्रहम् ॥ ३९ ॥
hastyaśvarathadānaiśca prīṇayetsatataṃ gurum | yastu vyākurute viprāḥ purāṇaṃ dharmasaṃgraham || 39 ||
Qu’on réjouisse sans cesse le guru par des dons tels que des éléphants, des chevaux et des chars. Mais, ô brāhmaṇas, celui qui expose ce Purāṇa—recueil du Dharma—est plus encore digne d’un tel hommage.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It elevates guru-sevā (service to the spiritual teacher) as a primary dharmic act and highlights that transmitting Purāṇic Dharma through explanation is a highly meritorious form of service and giving.
By stressing continual pleasing of the guru and honoring the teacher who expounds sacred tradition, it points to bhakti expressed as humility, service, and attentive hearing of Dharma through an authorized guide.
The verse emphasizes vyākhyāna (systematic exposition/teaching) of scripture—aligned with disciplined verbal transmission and interpretation (connected in practice with śāstra-study and language competence), rather than a specific ritual or astrological technique.