Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge

Jñāna-pradarśanam

Devanagari script

देवानृषीन्पितॄंश्चापि तर्पयस्व यथाविधि । अग्नेश्च विधिवद्विप्र परिचर्यापरो भव ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

devānṛṣīnpitṝṃścāpi tarpayasva yathāvidhi | agneśca vidhivadvipra paricaryāparo bhava || 50 ||

Translation

വിധിപ്രകാരം ദേവന്മാർക്കും ഋഷിമാർക്കും പിതൃകൾക്കും തർപ്പണം അർപ്പിക്കണം; കൂടാതെ ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണാ, പവിത്ര അഗ്നിയെ നിയമവിധിപൂർവ്വം സേവിക്കുന്നതിൽ നിഷ്ഠയോടെ ഇരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ऋषीन्: the sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पितृ-शब्द (irregular declension)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also)

• तर्पयस्व: satisfy/propitiate
• तर्पयस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्/तर्प् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; causative sense in usage: 'satisfy/offer libations'

• यथा-विधि: according to the prescribed method
• यथा-विधि: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण: 'according to rule'

• अग्नेः: of Agni (fire)
• अग्नेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• विधिवत्: properly
• विधिवत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb): 'properly, as per rule'

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

• परिचर्या-परः: devoted to service
• परिचर्या-परः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिचर्या (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (परिचर्यायां परः = devoted to service)

• भव: become/be
• भव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Rishis
• Pitrs
• Agni

FAQs

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

It emphasizes nitya-karma—daily duties that maintain harmony with the divine (Devas), the lineage of knowledge (Rishis), and one’s ancestral line (Pitrs), while keeping Agni as the sustaining witness of dharma.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence: serving Agni and performing tarpana “yathāvidhi” trains the mind in humility, gratitude, and offering—foundational attitudes that mature into steadier devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is primary—doing tarpana and Agni-service according to vidhi; it also implies correct mantra usage and recitation discipline supported by Śikṣā (phonetics).