Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

मन्त्रेणानेन विप्राय दत्त्वा भक्तिसमन्वितः । ब्रह्मणान्भोजयेच्छक्त्या संस्मरन्माधवं प्रभुम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

mantreṇānena viprāya dattvā bhaktisamanvitaḥ | brahmaṇānbhojayecchaktyā saṃsmaranmādhavaṃ prabhum || 36 ||

Translation

ഈ മന്ത്രം ചൊല്ലി ഭക്തിയോടെ ബ്രാഹ്മണന് ദാനം നൽകി, പിന്നെ കഴിവനുസരിച്ച് ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാർക്ക് ഭോജനം നൽകണം—പ്രഭു മാധവനെ സ്മരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്॥

Word by Word

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; मन्त्रेण इति सह विशेषणम्

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), अर्थः—‘दत्त्वा/प्रदाय’

• भक्ति-समन्वितः: accompanied by devotion
• भक्ति-समन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त, √अन्वि/अनु-इ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (भक्त्या समन्वितः = accompanied by devotion)

• ब्रह्मणान्: brāhmaṇas
• ब्रह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to eat/feed’)

• शक्त्या: according to ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; ‘यथाशक्ति’ अर्थे

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिकः

• माधवम्: Mādhava
• माधवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; माधवम् इति विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Tiladāna-vrata (implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Madhava
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It teaches that ritual giving becomes spiritually complete when joined with bhakti: offer with a mantra, honor the brāhmaṇas through feeding, and keep the mind fixed on Mādhava—so the outer act is united with inner remembrance.

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

Bhakti is shown as continuous smaraṇa (remembrance) of the Lord even while performing social-religious duties like dāna and brāhmaṇa-bhojana; devotion is the intention that sanctifies the rite.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) in applying a specific mantra for dāna and the dhārmic rule of performing brāhmaṇa-bhojana ‘śaktyā’—in proportion to one’s means—emphasizing correct ritual conduct.