Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

भ्रूणहा स्वर्णदानेन शुद्धो भवति भूपते । अन्नतोयसमं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

bhrūṇahā svarṇadānena śuddho bhavati bhūpate | annatoyasamaṃ dānaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati || 70 ||

Translation

हे राजन्, भ्रूणहत्या करने वाला भी स्वर्णदान से शुद्ध हो जाता है; पर अन्न और जल के दान के समान दान न कभी हुआ है, न होगा।

Word by Word

• भ्रूण-हा: a slayer of an embryo (one guilty of foeticide)
• भ्रूण-हा: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रूण (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु; √हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्विप्/ण्वुलादि-प्रयोगे ‘हा’ = killer), उपपद-तत्पुरुष

• स्वर्ण-दान-ेन: by (means of) giving gold
• स्वर्ण-दान-ेन: करण (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-प्रयोगः

• शुद्धः: purified
• शुद्धः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• अन्न-तोय-समम्: equal to (the gift of) food and water
• अन्न-तोय-समम्: कर्म-विशेषण (दानम्-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अन्न-तोय’ इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (food and water) + ‘सम’ विशेषण

• दानम्: a gift/charity
• दानम्: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेधक (negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भूतम्: has been (in the past)
• भूतम्: विधेय (predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक; √भू (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘has been/existed’ (predicate)

• न: nor/not
• न: निषेधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructing a king)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It teaches that charity functions as a powerful purifier (śuddhi/Prāyaścitta), while also declaring anna-dāna and jala-dāna as the highest, most universally beneficial forms of giving.

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

By prioritizing compassionate giving—especially sustaining life through food and water—the verse frames dharmic service as a practical expression of devotion, cultivating purity and a sattvic heart fit for worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style prāyaścitta logic used in ritual governance—how specific dānas are prescribed as remedial acts—rather than a technical lesson in a Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.