Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala

Devanagari script

अपराह्णः पितॄणां तु दत्तः कालः स्वयंभुवा । तत्काल एव दातव्यं कव्यं तस्माद्द्विजोत्तमैः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

aparāhṇaḥ pitṝṇāṃ tu dattaḥ kālaḥ svayaṃbhuvā | tatkāla eva dātavyaṃ kavyaṃ tasmāddvijottamaiḥ || 23 ||

Translation

അപരാഹ്ണകാലം സ്വയംഭൂ (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) പിതൃകൾക്കായി നിശ്ചയിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. അതുകൊണ്ട് ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ദ്വിജന്മാർ ആ സമയത്തുതന്നെ പിതൃനിമിത്ത ‘കവ്യം’ അർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अपराह्णः: the afternoon
• अपराह्णः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराह्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेष (contrast/emphasis)

• दत्तः: given
• दत्तः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — agreeing with ‘कालः’

• कालः: time
• कालः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• स्वयंभुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• तत्: at that
• तत्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — used adjectivally with ‘काले’ implied

• काले: time
• काले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular (implied with तत्)

• एव: only / precisely
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: विधेय (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (प्रत्यय) → दातव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तव्यता-वाचक कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘should be given’ (impersonal)

• कव्यम्: the ancestral offering (kavya)
• कव्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nominative/Accusative singular; object/thing to be offered

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: अपादान/हेतु (Reason/Ablative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे (ablatival sense ‘therefore/from that’)

• द्विजोत्तमैः: by the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमैः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; in instruction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhu (Brahma)
• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It sanctifies Pitṛ-yajña by fixing a divinely ordained time (aparāhṇa) for ancestral offerings, emphasizing that correct timing (kāla) preserves the rite’s intended spiritual efficacy and the Pitṛs’ satisfaction.

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

Though focused on Śrāddha, it supports bhakti through disciplined dharma: honoring ancestors as a sacred duty performed with reverence and exactness, which purifies the performer and aligns life with divine order.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Kāla-nirṇaya (ritual time determination), connected to Jyotiṣa/Vedāṅga principles used to identify aparāhṇa for proper performance of Śrāddha and kavya-dāna.