Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 148

Hanūmaccarita

The Account of Hanumān

Devanagari script

देवश्रेष्ठौ हरीशौ तावन्योन्याभिमुखस्थितौ । सुवर्णभाजनस्थान्नं ददौ भक्त्या स गौतमः ॥ १४८ ॥

Transliteration

devaśreṣṭhau harīśau tāvanyonyābhimukhasthitau | suvarṇabhājanasthānnaṃ dadau bhaktyā sa gautamaḥ || 148 ||

Translation

Tandis que ces deux dieux suprêmes, Hari et Īśa, se tenaient face à face, Gautama, avec dévotion, leur offrit une nourriture présentée dans un vase d’or.

Word by Word

• देव-श्रेष्ठौ: the best of gods (two)
• देव-श्रेष्ठौ: सम्बोधन/विशेष्य (Appositional subject/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; देवश्रेष्ठ = देवानां श्रेष्ठः (best among gods)

• हरी-ईशौ: Hari and Isha (Vishnu and Shiva)
• हरी-ईशौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः—हरिः च ईशः च (Hari and Isha)

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

• अन्योन्य-अभिमुख-स्थितौ: standing facing each other
• अन्योन्य-अभिमुख-स्थितौ: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त, √स्था + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘standing facing each other’—अन्योन्यस्य अभिमुखे स्थितौ

• सुवर्ण-भाजन-स्थ-अन्नम्: food set in a golden vessel
• सुवर्ण-भाजन-स्थ-अन्नम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; सुवर्णभाजनस्थ = सुवर्णभाजने स्थितम्; तद् अन्नम् (food placed in a golden vessel)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Gautama

FAQs

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

It highlights that sincere devotion expressed through respectful hospitality—offering food with reverence—becomes a direct act of worship to the highest deities, Hari and Īśa.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical service (upacāra): Gautama’s offering is valuable not merely for its gold vessel, but because it is given “bhaktyā,” with heartfelt devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-style ritual propriety—proper offering of naivedya/anna in worship and honoring revered beings through disciplined, respectful giving (dāna and atithi-sevā).