Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

व्रीह्याढकं च विप्राय दद्याद्वस्त्रं सदक्षिणम् । नमो गोविन्द सर्वेश गोपिकाजनवल्लभ ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

vrīhyāḍhakaṃ ca viprāya dadyādvastraṃ sadakṣiṇam | namo govinda sarveśa gopikājanavallabha || 41 ||

Translation

Qu’on donne à un brāhmane une mesure āḍhaka de riz, ainsi qu’un vêtement avec la dakṣiṇā. (Puis qu’on prie :) «Hommage à Govinda, Seigneur de tout, bien-aimé de l’assemblée des gopīs.»

Word by Word

• व्रीहि-आढकम्: a measure (āḍhaka) of rice
• व्रीहि-आढकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीहि (प्रातिपदिक) + आढक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; (व्रीहिणाम् आढकः) परिमाणवाचक-द्रव्यसम्बन्धः

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वस्त्रम्: a garment
• वस्त्रम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• स-दक्षिणम्: together with a fee/donation
• स-दक्षिणम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वस्त्रम्)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन/उद्गार (Exclamation/Address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (salutation particle)

• गोविन्द: O Govinda
• गोविन्द: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्व-ईश: O Lord of all
• सर्व-ईश: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• गोपिका-जन-वल्लभ: O beloved of the gopīs (cowherd women)
• गोपिका-जन-वल्लभ: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपिका (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context of Book 1.1)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: karuna (compassion)

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Gopis
• Brahmana

FAQs

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

It links external dharma (dāna to a brāhmaṇa—rice, cloth, and dakṣiṇā) with inner bhakti (salutation to Govinda), teaching that charity becomes spiritually fruitful when dedicated to Vishnu.

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

Bhakti is expressed through both action and remembrance: the devotee serves the sacred community via dāna and simultaneously anchors the rite in loving surrender by invoking Govinda as “Sarveśa” and “Gopikā-janavallabha.”

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa-style ritual procedure—specific items and proper dakṣiṇā in a gifting rite—showing the practical discipline of dāna-vidhi rather than a technical lesson in vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.