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 ||
ഹേ ഭൂപതേ, ആദ്യം അവൻ ഒരു കൈമാത്രം ആഴത്തിൽ കുഴിച്ചു, തന്റെ ചുണ്ടുകൊണ്ട് വെള്ളം കൊണ്ടുവന്നു. പിന്നെ മറ്റൊരു സമയത്ത്, കാല്യയുടെ അതേ ശ്രമം രണ്ട് കൈകളുടെ അളവായി (ആഴം/വ്യാപ്തി) ആയി.
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.