Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

मन्त्रेणानेन विप्राय दद्याद्भक्त्या सदक्षिणम् । केशवः केशिहा देवः सर्वसंपत्प्रदायकः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

mantreṇānena viprāya dadyādbhaktyā sadakṣiṇam | keśavaḥ keśihā devaḥ sarvasaṃpatpradāyakaḥ || 21 ||

Translation

ഈ മന്ത്രത്താൽ ഭക്തിയോടെ ബ്രാഹ്മണനു യഥോചിത ദാനവും ദക്ഷിണയും നൽകണം; കാരണം കേശിഹാ ദേവനായ കേശവൻ സർവ്വസമ്പത്ത് നൽകുന്നവൻ ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• मन्त्रेण: with (this) mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्/नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; तृतीया, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (pronoun) — ‘by/with this’

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• स-दक्षिणम्: along with a priestly fee (dakṣiṇā)
• स-दक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः— ‘दक्षिणया सह’ (together with fee/donation)

• केशवः: Keśava
• केशवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• केशि-हा: slayer of Keśī
• केशि-हा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → ह (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘हा’ = हन्-धातोः क्विप्/कृदन्त-रूपम् (slayer)

• देवः: the Lord
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• सर्व-संपत्-प्रदायकः: giver of all prosperity
• सर्व-संपत्-प्रदायकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + संपत् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः— ‘सर्वासां संपदां प्रदायकः’ (giver of all prosperities)

Speaker

Narada (teaching the proper devotional practice and its fruit)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Keshava
• Keshi

FAQs

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

It links mantra-recitation with devotional charity (dāna) and dakṣiṇā, teaching that offerings made with bhakti become a direct means to receive auspiciousness through Keśava’s grace.

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

Bhakti is shown as the essential inner disposition behind ritual action—giving to a worthy brāhmaṇa is not merely formal, but becomes spiritually potent when performed as an offering to Keśava.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual protocol is emphasized: mantra-application and the rule of sa-dakṣiṇā (gift with honorarium) reflect the practical discipline of Vedic rite-performance (kalpa-oriented practice).