Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
खनितं हस्तमात्रं तु जलं तुण्डेन चात्मनः । ततोऽन्यदाऽमुया काल्याहस्त युग्ममितः कृतः ॥ ८८ ॥
khanitaṃ hastamātraṃ tu jalaṃ tuṇḍena cātmanaḥ | tato'nyadā'muyā kālyāhasta yugmamitaḥ kṛtaḥ || 88 ||
Wahai penguasa bumi, mula-mula ia menggali sedalam satu hasta, lalu dengan paruhnya sendiri ia membawa air. Kemudian pada waktu lain, oleh upaya Kālyā yang sama, ukurannya menjadi dua hasta.
Suta (narrating the Purana’s account in the flow of instruction)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It teaches that sustained self-effort (ātmanaḥ) produces tangible growth over time—what begins as a small measure becomes greater through persistence.
Though not directly a bhakti injunction, it supports bhakti-sādhana by implying that daily practice—japa, vrata, pūjā—may start modestly but steadily deepens and expands with consistency.
It reflects a practical sense of māna (measurement) and method—useful for ritual discipline and ordered practice—though it is not a direct exposition of a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.