Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

महिषीदो जयत्येव ह्यपमृत्युं न संशयः । गवां तृणप्रदानेन रुद्र लोकमवाप्नुयात् ॥ ११२ ॥

Transliteration

mahiṣīdo jayatyeva hyapamṛtyuṃ na saṃśayaḥ | gavāṃ tṛṇapradānena rudra lokamavāpnuyāt || 112 ||

Translation

Assurément, celui qui fait don d’une bufflonne triomphe de la mort prématurée—sans aucun doute. Et en offrant herbe et fourrage aux vaches, il atteint le monde de Rudra (Śiva).

Word by Word

• महिषीदः: the giver of a buffalo-cow
• महिषीदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी-द (प्रातिपदिक; महिषी + द ‘दाता’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महिष्याः दः = ‘giver of a buffalo-cow’)

• जयति: wins, is victorious
• जयति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• हि: for, indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/खल्वर्थ (for, indeed)

• अपमृत्युम्: untimely death
• अपमृत्युम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुष/उपपदसमास (अप + मृत्यु = untimely death)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle), अव्यय

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वाक्ये ‘न संशयः’ इति नास्त्यर्थे

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तृणप्रदानेन: by the giving of grass
• तृणप्रदानेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण-प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक; तृण + प्रदान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्म-तत्पुरुषः (तृणस्य प्रदानम् = giving grass)

• रुद्र: of Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (रुद्रस्य) — ‘रुद्रलोकम्’ इत्यत्र षष्ठीसम्बन्धः

• लोकम्: world, realm
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः ‘अव’

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (in dialogue with Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)

FAQs

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

It links specific acts of dāna (charity)—buffalo-gift and feeding cows—to concrete karmic outcomes: protection from apamṛtyu (untimely death) and attainment of Rudra’s realm, emphasizing dharma through compassionate giving.

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

While framed as dharmic merit, the verse supports bhakti in practice by encouraging reverent service—especially go-sevā (care for cows)—as an offering-minded act that purifies intention and aligns one with divine grace (here, Rudra/Śiva).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects Kalpa (ritual/dharma procedure) in prescribing dāna and stating its phala (result); it is less about technical Vedāṅgas like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa and more about applied dharma-śāstra style guidance.