Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

Devanagari script

सम्मार्जनपरो नित्यं दीपदानरतस्तथा । तन्मे वद महाभाग किं त्वया विदितं फलम् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

sammārjanaparo nityaṃ dīpadānaratastathā | tanme vada mahābhāga kiṃ tvayā viditaṃ phalam || 18 ||

Translation

Toujours appliqué à nettoyer (le lieu sacré) et pareillement adonné au don des lampes, dis-moi, ô très fortuné : quel fruit as-tu appris de cette pratique ?

Word by Word

• सम्मार्जनपरः: intent on cleaning
• सम्मार्जनपरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्मार्जन-पर (प्रातिपदिक; सम्मार्जन + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• दीपदानरतः: engaged in giving lamps
• दीपदानरतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप-दान-रत (प्रातिपदिक; दीप + दान + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Anvaya (अन्वय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverb)

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

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic); ‘of me/to me’ (contextual)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-भाग (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (Acc/Nom), एकवचन; interrogative

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (करण/Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विदितम्: known
• विदितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदित (कृदन्त; √विद् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘known’

• फलम्: result/fruit
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

The verse frames daily sacred service—keeping holy spaces clean and offering light—as actionable dharma, and asks explicitly for the phala (spiritual outcome), emphasizing that devotion is expressed through disciplined, tangible worship-supporting acts.

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

It presents bhakti as seva (service): cleaning the place of worship and offering lamps are outward acts that cultivate inner purity and reverence, preparing the devotee for deeper remembrance and worship of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented conduct) is implied: maintaining śauca (purity) in worship settings and performing dāna like dīpadāna as part of daily religious observance.