Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

यत्काव्यं दीयते द्वव्यैरकाले मुनिसत्तम । राक्षसं तद्धि विज्ञेयं पितॄणां नोपतिष्टति ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

yatkāvyaṃ dīyate dvavyairakāle munisattama | rākṣasaṃ taddhi vijñeyaṃ pitṝṇāṃ nopatiṣṭati || 24 ||

Translation

മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! അകാൽ സമയത്ത് രണ്ട് ദ്വിജന്മാർക്ക് നൽകുന്ന കവ്യം ‘രാക്ഷസം’ എന്നു അറിയണം; അത് പിതൃകൾക്കെത്തുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — relative pronoun; ‘which’ qualifying ‘काव्यम्’

• काव्यम्: (ancestral) offering
• काव्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nominative/Accusative singular

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद; ‘is given’

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born
• द्विजैः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• अकाले: at an improper time
• अकाले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मुनीनाम् सत्तमः’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• राक्षसम्: demonic / rākṣasa-type
• राक्षसम्: प्रधानीय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — predicate adjective for ‘काव्यम्’

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म/विषय (Topic/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — demonstrative; refers to that offering

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कारण/निश्चय (indeed/for)

• विज्ञेयम्: should be known
• विज्ञेयम्: विधेय (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + तव्यत् (प्रत्यय) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तव्यता-वाचक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘should be known/understood’

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

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• उपतिष्ठति: reaches / is accepted
• उपतिष्ठति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — परस्मैपद; ‘approaches/serves/reaches’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It stresses that Śrāddha is not merely charity but a time-bound sacred transmission; when performed at an improper time, it loses its intended spiritual efficacy and fails to benefit the Pitṛs.

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

By implying that devotion must be expressed through disciplined dharma: sincere intent should be supported by correct observance (kāla and vidhi), so offerings become a true act of reverence rather than a fruitless ritual.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and the importance of kāla (proper timing) in rites—showing that errors in scheduling/sequence can invalidate the intended result of Śrāddha.