Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

तदन्नमत्यजन्भुक्त्वा गायत्र्यष्टशतं जपेत् । भुज्यमानेषु विप्रेषु कर्त्ता श्रद्धापरायणः ॥ ६५ ॥

Transliteration

tadannamatyajanbhuktvā gāyatryaṣṭaśataṃ japet | bhujyamāneṣu vipreṣu karttā śraddhāparāyaṇaḥ || 65 ||

Translation

ആ അന്നം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാതെ (അവമാനിക്കാതെ) ഭക്ഷിച്ച്, കർത്താവ് ശ്രദ്ധാപരായണനായി ഗായത്രി മന്ത്രം എട്ടുനൂറ് പ്രാവശ്യം ജപിക്കണം, ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്ക് ഭക്ഷണം നൽകുന്ന സമയത്ത്.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘that’ qualifying अन्नम्

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अत्यजन्: without abandoning (it)
• अत्यजन्: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ-त्यज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-समासार्थे वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) अव्ययीभाववत्; क्रियाविशेषण ‘not abandoning’ (absolutive sense)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) ‘having eaten’

• गायत्री-अष्टशतम्: eight hundred (recitations) of the Gāyatrī
• गायत्री-अष्टशतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टशत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: गायत्र्याः अष्टशतम् (eight hundred [recitations] of Gāyatrī)

• जपेत्: should recite/mutter
• जपेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भुज्यमानेषु: while (they) are eating/being fed
• भुज्यमानेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (यमान) ‘being eaten/being fed’ (context: while they are being fed/eating)

• विप्रेषु: among the Brahmins
• विप्रेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• कर्त्ता: the performer (of the rite)
• कर्त्ता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• श्रद्धापरायणः: devoted to faith
• श्रद्धापरायणः: विशेषण (Adjective of कर्त्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: श्रद्धायां परायणः (devoted to faith)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction on śrāddha procedure, within the Narada–Sanatkumāra dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Śrāddha (paitṛka rite)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Vipra (Brahmana)

FAQs

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

It links external rite (feeding brāhmaṇas in śrāddha) with inner discipline (Gāyatrī-japa), teaching that reverent intent (śraddhā) and mantra-purification should accompany ritual charity.

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

Bhakti here appears as śraddhā-driven service: honoring sacred guests and sustaining a devotional mind through mantra-recitation while the rite is underway, so action becomes worship rather than mere formality.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes mantra-japa discipline and ritual timing—an applied aspect of Kalpa (ritual procedure) with correct observance of a prescribed count (aṣṭaśata) during śrāddha hospitality.