Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

The Outline (Anukramaṇī) of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa

Devanagari script

तावुभौ विष्णुलोकं हि व्रजेतां भुक्तभोगकौ । तल्लिखित्वा च यो दद्यादाषाढ्यां घृतधेनुना ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

tāvubhau viṣṇulokaṃ hi vrajetāṃ bhuktabhogakau | tallikhitvā ca yo dadyādāṣāḍhyāṃ ghṛtadhenunā || 22 ||

Translation

En vérité, tous deux gagnent le monde de Viṣṇu après avoir goûté les récompenses de leur mérite. Et celui qui met cet enseignement par écrit et l’offre en don au mois d’Āṣāḍha, avec une ghṛta-dhenū (vache de ghee), obtient ce mérite.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• विष्णु-लोकम्: Viṣṇu’s world
• विष्णु-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः लोकः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतौ-अव्यय (particle: 'indeed/for')

• व्रजेताम्: (they) go
• व्रजेताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन, परस्मैपद; 'let them go/they go'

• भुक्त-भोगकौ: having enjoyed pleasures
• भुक्त-भोगकौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्त (भुज् धातु → कृदन्त) + भोगक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (भुक्ताः भोगाः ययोः/भुक्तभोगौ)

• तत्: that (text)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• लिखित्वा: having written
• लिखित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु) → लिखित्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having written'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; 'should give'

• आषाढ्याम्: (a cow) in the month Āṣāḍha / an Āṣāḍhī (gift)
• आषाढ्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आषाढी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• घृत-धेनुना: with a ghee-cow (cow offered with ghee)
• घृत-धेनुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत + धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (घृतेन युक्ता धेनुः/घृतधेनुः); करण (instrumental: 'with a ghee-cow')

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada Purana’s teaching tradition; within the larger Narada–Sanatkumara instruction stream)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It links dharma (meritorious action) with its फल (phala): the doers “go to Viṣṇuloka” after enjoying the earned rewards, and it further praises the transmission of sacred teaching by writing it and donating it as a dharmic gift—especially when accompanied by a prescribed dana (ghṛta-dhenū).

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

By naming Viṣṇuloka as the destination, the verse frames dana and preservation of sacred instruction as acts that support Viṣṇu-oriented devotion—service to dharma and dissemination of Viṣṇu-centered teaching become supportive limbs (aṅgas) of bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual timing and observance (kalā/ṛtu-māsa sensitivity) typical of dharma-śāstra practice: the month Āṣāḍha is specified for the donation, indicating the importance of calendrical discipline (often aligned with Jyotiṣa-based religious timing).