Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 62

Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds

Devanagari script

तस्य राज्ञो महामात्याः कृत्माकृस्यविचारणाः । धर्माणां धर्मशास्त्रेस्तु सदा कुर्वन्ति निश्चयम् ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

tasya rājño mahāmātyāḥ kṛtmākṛsyavicāraṇāḥ | dharmāṇāṃ dharmaśāstrestu sadā kurvanti niścayam || 63 ||

Translation

ആ രാജാവിന്റെ മഹാമന്ത്രിമാർ ചെയ്തതും ചെയ്യേണ്ടതുമായ കാര്യങ്ങൾ പരിശോധിക്കുന്നവർ ആയിരുന്നു. അവർ ധർമ്മശാസ്ത്രാനുസാരം ധർമ്മകാര്യങ്ങളിൽ സദാ ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം കൈക്കൊള്ളുമായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महामात्याः: great ministers
• महामात्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; कर्मधारयः (महान्तः अमात्याः)

• कृत्माकृत्यविचारणाः: examiners of what is to be done and not to be done
• कृत्माकृत्यविचारणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अकृत्य + विचारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (कृतम्-अकृत्यम्) + तत्पुरुष (विचारणाः = विचारयन्ति)

• धर्माणाम्: of duties/laws
• धर्माणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धर्मशास्त्रे: in the Dharmaśāstra
• धर्मशास्त्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मशास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य शास्त्रम्)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कुर्वन्ति: they make/do
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; Present, 3rd person, Plural

• निश्चयम्: a decision
• निश्चयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a dharma/governance context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Raja (king)
• Mahamatya (chief ministers)
• Dharmaśāstra

FAQs

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

It presents righteous governance as a dharmic discipline: ministers must examine actions and omissions and decide consistently by Dharmaśāstra, making the kingdom an instrument of order (dharma) rather than personal whim.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti by insisting that public authority operates under dharma; a stable, dharma-aligned society protects sacred practice, vows, and worship, enabling devotion to flourish without injustice and arbitrariness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to applied Dharmaśāstra reasoning—systematic adjudication and decision-making—closely allied with interpretive disciplines (especially Vyākaraṇa and Mīmāṃsā-style analysis) used to determine correct duty from authoritative texts.