Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

धिग्जन्म भक्तिहीनानां देवदेवे जनार्दने । सत्पात्रदानशून्यं यत्तद्धनं धिक्पुनः पुनः ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

dhigjanma bhaktihīnānāṃ devadeve janārdane | satpātradānaśūnyaṃ yattaddhanaṃ dhikpunaḥ punaḥ || 70 ||

Translation

神々の神ジャナールダナへのバクティなき者の生は嘆かわしい。さらに、ふさわしき器へ布施として用いられぬ財は、幾度も幾度も嘆かわしい。

Word by Word

• धिक्: shame!/fie!
• धिक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिक् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निन्द्यवस्तु (object of censure)

• भक्तिहीनानाम्: of the devotionless
• भक्तिहीनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्तिहीन (प्रातिपदिक; भक्ति + हीन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; ‘भक्त्या हीनः’

• देवदेवे: in/with regard to the God of gods
• देवदेवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदेव (प्रातिपदिक; देव + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; ‘देवानां देवः’ (God of gods)

• जनार्दने: Janardana
• जनार्दने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; देवदेवे इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• सत्पात्रदानशून्यम्: devoid of gifts to worthy recipients
• सत्पात्रदानशून्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्-पात्र-दान-शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सत्पात्रे दानं’ इति षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषसमास-समूह, तेन शून्यः

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तदनुयोगी (correlative)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निन्द्यवस्तु

• धिक्: shame!
• धिक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिक् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘again’)

• पुनः: again and again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra (anger)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares that life (birth) gains meaning through devotion to Janārdana, and that wealth becomes spiritually fruitful only when directed toward dharmic giving—especially charity to worthy recipients.

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

Bhakti is presented as the essential inner orientation: without devotion to the Supreme (Janārdana), worldly status like birth and possessions is condemned as empty, because it does not lead to purification or higher purpose.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes dharmic praxis rather than a specific Vedāṅga: it highlights the applied rule of dāna—discriminating a satpātra (worthy recipient) and using wealth in a way that generates puṇya.