Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari

Devanagari script

सम्मार्जनादिना ये तु विष्णुशुश्रूषणे रताः । सत्पात्रदाननिरताः प्रयान्ति परमं पदम् ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

sammārjanādinā ye tu viṣṇuśuśrūṣaṇe ratāḥ | satpātradānaniratāḥ prayānti paramaṃ padam || 77 ||

Translation

തൂത്തുവാരൽ, ശുചീകരണം മുതലായ സേവകളിലൂടെ വിഷ്ണുശുശ്രൂഷയിൽ രതരായി, സത്പാത്രദാനത്തിൽ നിരതരായവർ പരമപദം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सम्मार्जन-आदिना: by sweeping and the like
• सम्मार्जन-आदिना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगार्थः ‘आदि’ सहितः (sammārjana-ādi)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• विष्णु-शुश्रूषणे: in service to Vishnu
• विष्णु-शुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः शुश्रूषणे)

• रताः: engaged, devoted
• रताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √रम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) अर्थे ‘आसक्त’

• सत्-पात्र-दान-निरताः: intent on giving to worthy recipients
• सत्-पात्र-दान-निरताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √रम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सत्पात्रे दाने निरताः)

• प्रयान्ति: go, attain
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु; √या)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘पदम्’

• पदम्: state, abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that humble devotional service (like cleaning as an offering to Viṣṇu) combined with righteous charity to worthy recipients becomes a direct cause for attaining the supreme spiritual goal (parama pada).

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

Bhakti is shown as practical seva: not only worship in words, but physical service done for Viṣṇu with devotion, supported by compassionate giving (dāna) aligned with dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is ritual ethics—how to choose a satpātra (worthy recipient) for dāna and to treat service acts as devotional upacāra (supporting worship).