Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 120

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

प्रतिग्रहनिवृत्ताश्च प्रयान्ति परमं पदम् । अनाथं विप्रकुणपं ये दहेयुर्नृपोत्तम ॥ १२० ॥

Transliteration

pratigrahanivṛttāśca prayānti paramaṃ padam | anāthaṃ viprakuṇapaṃ ye daheyurnṛpottama || 120 ||

Translation

（法を損なう）贈り物の受納を断つ者は、至高の境地に至る。さらに、王の中の最勝者よ、身寄りなく引き取り手のないブラーフマナの遺体を火葬する者もまた、最高の位に達する。

Word by Word

• प्रतिग्रह-निवृत्ताः: refraining from accepting gifts
• प्रतिग्रह-निवृत्ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + निवृत्त (कृदन्त; √वृत् धातु, क्त; नि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘प्रतिग्रहात् निवृत्त’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रयान्ति: go, attain
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पदम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• पदम्: state, abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनाथम्: without protector, unclaimed
• अनाथम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कुणपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• विप्र-कुणपम्: the corpse/body of a Brahmin
• विप्र-कुणपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कुणप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विप्रस्य कुणपम्’

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• दहेयुः: should burn/cremate
• दहेयुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• नृप-उत्तम: O best of kings
• नृप-उत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• King (nṛpottama)
• Brāhmaṇa (vipra)

FAQs

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

It teaches that two dharmic acts—avoiding ethically compromising gifts and performing compassionate last rites for an unclaimed brāhmaṇa—purify one’s conduct and lead toward the supreme state (paramaṁ padam).

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

By emphasizing purity, compassion, and integrity as supports for spiritual life; such sattvic conduct is presented as conducive to the highest goal, aligning with the Purana’s broader ethic that devotion thrives on dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice related to antyeṣṭi (funeral rites): cremation (dahana) is affirmed as a meritorious duty even when the deceased is unclaimed, reflecting applied dharma and ritual procedure.