Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

अन्नदस्य कुले जाता आसहस्रं नृपोत्तम । नरकं ते न पश्यन्ति तस्मादन्नप्रदो वरः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

annadasya kule jātā āsahasraṃ nṛpottama | narakaṃ te na paśyanti tasmādannaprado varaḥ || 77 ||

Translation

おお最勝の王よ、食を施す者の家系に生まれた者は、千人に至るまで地獄を見ない。ゆえに食を施す者こそ、施しの中で最もすぐれた者である。

Word by Word

• अन्नदस्य: of the food-giver
• अन्नदस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नद (प्रातिपदिक; अन्न + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (genitive relation)

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• जाताः: born
• जाताः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘जनाः’)

• आ: up to
• आ: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; सीमा/पर्यन्तार्थे (up to)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (generations)
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; परिमाण/अवधि (extent)

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

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्तृपदम् (they)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/पञ्चमी-अर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अपादानार्थे (ablative sense: therefore/from that)

• अन्न-प्रदः: the giver of food
• अन्न-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; प्र + दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय (predicate noun)

• वरः: excellent
• वरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (of अन्नप्रदः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a king—addressed as nṛpottama)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It elevates anna-dāna as a supreme form of charity because its merit protects not only the donor but also many in the donor’s lineage from experiencing naraka (hellish states).

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

While not explicitly naming a deity, the verse frames compassionate service—sustaining life through food—as a dharmic act that purifies the heart, a key support for bhakti-oriented living in Purāṇic teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharma-śāstra style reasoning about dāna-phala (results of giving) used in ritual practice—guiding when and why anna-dāna is prescribed as a high-merit charitable act.