Shloka 27

Dharmāṅgada’s Conquest of the Directions

Devanagari script

न देया भूमिदेवेभ्यः सोऽपि वै नरकं व्रजेत् । आत्मसंभावनं तात न कर्तव्यं सुतेन हि ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

na deyā bhūmidevebhyaḥ so'pi vai narakaṃ vrajet | ātmasaṃbhāvanaṃ tāta na kartavyaṃ sutena hi || 27 ||

Translation

Il ne faut pas retenir ce qui est dû aux «dieux sur la terre», les brāhmaṇas ; même un tel homme irait en enfer. Et, cher enfant, l’auto-glorification ne doit jamais être pratiquée par un fils.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• देया: to be given
• देया: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विधेय/अनुज्ञार्थे ‘देय’ (gerundive/future passive participle: ‘to be given’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with implied ‘संपदः’/‘दानानि’ contextually)

• भूमि-देवेभ्यः: to the brāhmaṇas
• भूमि-देवेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘भूमिदेव’ (earth-god = brāhmaṇa); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन

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

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle: indeed)

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (कर्म/Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आत्म-संभावनम्: self-conceit
• आत्म-संभावनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of prohibition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संभावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (self-esteem/self-conceit); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तात: dear one
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्य (gerundive: ‘to be done’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

• सुतेन: by the son
• सुतेन: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive/obligation sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• हि: for, indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (particle: for/indeed)

Speaker

Narada (instructional voice within the Uttara-Bhaga discourse; traditionally framed as Narada’s teaching in dialogue settings)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Bhumideva (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

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

It links dharmic giving (especially to brāhmaṇas, called bhūmidevas) with spiritual safety, warning that deliberate refusal of rightful giving produces grave demerit, and it also teaches humility as an essential virtue in family and religious life.

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

Bhakti is supported by sāttvika conduct—respect, service, and humility. By discouraging pride (ātma-sambhāvana) and encouraging reverence toward dharmic recipients, the verse frames devotion as inseparable from ethical behavior.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects Dharma-śāstra style guidance rather than a specific Vedāṅga technique; practically, it reinforces correct ritual-social protocol around dāna (giving) and honor toward brāhmaṇas, which underlies proper yajña and śrāddha-related conduct.