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Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 163

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

पञ्चहस्तमितां भूमिं ददौ तस्मै महामतिः । पृथिवी वैष्णवी पुण्या पृथिवीं विष्णुपालिता ॥ ६३ ॥

pañcahastamitāṃ bhūmiṃ dadau tasmai mahāmatiḥ | pṛthivī vaiṣṇavī puṇyā pṛthivīṃ viṣṇupālitā || 63 ||

Cet homme à la grande intelligence lui donna une parcelle de terre de cinq hastas. Car la Terre est sainte et de nature vaiṣṇava : elle est protégée et soutenue par Viṣṇu.

पञ्चfive
पञ्च:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)
हस्तcubit (hand-measure)
हस्त:
Upamāna/Parimāṇa (परिमाण)
TypeNoun
Rootहस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण समासाङ्ग (hand/cubit)
मिताम्measured
मिताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमा (धातु) → मित (कृदन्त, क्त)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — measured; agrees with ‘भूमिम्’
भूमिम्land
भूमिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular (land)
ददौgave
ददौ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — he gave
तस्मैto him
तस्मै:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन — Dative singular (to him)
महामतिःthe great-minded (one)
महामतिः:
Kartā (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहामति (प्रातिपदिक) [महा + मति]
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular (great-minded one)
पृथिवीthe earth
पृथिवी:
Kartā (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular (earth)
वैष्णवीbelonging to Viṣṇu
वैष्णवी:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवैष्णवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Vaiṣṇavī; agrees with ‘पृथिवी’
पुण्याholy
पुण्या:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — holy/meritorious; agrees with ‘पृथिवी’
पृथिवीम्the earth
पृथिवीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular (earth/land)
विष्णुपालिताprotected by Viṣṇu
विष्णुपालिता:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootविष्णु + पालित (कृदन्त, क्त from पाल् धातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘protected by Viṣṇu’; agrees with (understood) ‘पृथिवी’

Narada (teaching in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

V
Vishnu
P
Prithivi (Earth)

FAQs

It links the act of granting land (bhūmi-dāna) with a Vaiṣṇava worldview: the Earth is intrinsically sacred because she is sustained by Viṣṇu, so gifts connected to her carry religious merit (puṇya).

By declaring the Earth “Vaiṣṇavī” and “Viṣṇu-protected,” the verse trains the devotee to see all support of life as Viṣṇu’s grace; dharmic giving becomes an expression of Viṣṇu-bhakti rather than mere charity.

A practical measurement convention is used—“hasta” (cubit)—showing applied precision in ritual/legal gifting contexts (dāna), where correct specification of quantity and boundary is part of dharma practice.