Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तमेकं भोजयित्वा तु कार्ष्णेऽहनि महीपतिम् । कृतकृत्यो भविष्यामि गयापिंडप्रदो यथा ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

tamekaṃ bhojayitvā tu kārṣṇe'hani mahīpatim | kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyāmi gayāpiṃḍaprado yathā || 4 ||

Translation

कार्ष्ण दिवशी त्या एकमेव महीपतिला भोजन घातले तर मी कृतकृत्य होईन—जसा गयेस पिंडदान करणारा.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तम्)

• भोजयित्वा: having fed
• भोजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्/भोजय् (धातु; causative) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: भोजयति)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अनुक्रम (but/indeed)

• कार्ष्णे: Kṛṣṇa-related; of Kṛṣṇa
• कार्ष्णे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अहनि)

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीपतिम्: the king
• महीपतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; appositive to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महीयाः पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत-कृत्यः: one who has fulfilled his duty
• कृत-कृत्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु + क्त) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (कृतं कृत्यं यस्य/कृतकृत्यः = one whose duty is done); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भविष्यामि: I shall become
• भविष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गया-पिण्ड-प्रदः: a giver of piṇḍa at Gayā
• गया-पिण्ड-प्रदः: Upamana-dharma (उपमानधर्म/Comparand property)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (गयायां पिण्डस्य प्रदः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: as; like
• यथा: Upamana (उपमान/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle: as/like)

Speaker

Narrator (Suta) quoting a devotee/ritual performer within the Tirtha-Mahatmya context

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (Kārṣṇa day observance implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gayā

FAQs

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

It equates the merit of feeding a worthy recipient on an auspicious Kārṣṇa (dark-fortnight) day with the famed salvific merit of offering piṇḍas at Gayā, presenting anna-dāna as a powerful act of dharma.

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

By valuing selfless service and sacred giving, it frames devotion as practical worship—honoring dharma through offerings that support righteous persons, which becomes an expression of reverence and surrender.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the rule-like emphasis on timing (a specific lunar day in Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa) and the rite of feeding as a meritorious religious observance.