Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma

Devanagari script

गोदानेन नरो याति सर्वसौख्यसमन्वितः । भूमिदो गृहदश्चैव विमाने सर्वसंपदि ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

godānena naro yāti sarvasaukhyasamanvitaḥ | bhūmido gṛhadaścaiva vimāne sarvasaṃpadi || 21 ||

Translation

ഗോദാനം ചെയ്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ സർവ്വസുഖങ്ങളോടുകൂടി പരലോകത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നു. ഭൂമിദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവനും ഗൃഹദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവനും സർവ്വസമ്പത്തോടുകൂടിയ വിമാനം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• गो-दानेन: by the gift of cows
• गो-दानेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गवां दानम्)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्व-सौख्य-समन्वितः: endowed with all happiness
• सर्व-सौख्य-समन्वितः: विशेषण (Adjectival to कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम्-अनु-√इ धातु/समन्वि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘समन्वित’; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः सौख्यैः समन्वितः)

• भूमिदः: the giver of land
• भूमिदः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिद (प्रातिपदिक; भूमि + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (भूमिं ददाति इति)

• गृहदः: the giver of a house
• गृहदः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहद (प्रातिपदिक; गृह + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (गृहं ददाति इति)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विमाने: in an aerial car
• विमाने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सर्व-संपदि: amid all prosperity
• सर्व-संपदि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + संपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वा संपत् यस्मिन्/यत्र)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It frames dāna (charitable giving) as a concrete dharmic act whose fruit is sukha and saṃpatti in the hereafter—especially emphasizing go-dāna, bhūmi-dāna, and gṛha-dāna as high-merit gifts.

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

While not explicitly naming a deity, it supports bhakti-oriented dharma by encouraging selfless giving—an essential devotional disposition (tyāga and sevā) that purifies the giver and supports righteous living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-dharma application is implied: dāna is to be performed according to proper injunctions (kalpa-style procedural correctness), where the type of gift and intention determine the stated fruits.