Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49
Dharma-ākhyāna (Discourse on Dharma): Worthy Charity, Fruitless Gifts, and the Merit of Building Ponds
गण्यन्ते पांसवो भूमेर्गण्यन्ते वृष्टिविन्दवः । न गण्यन्ते विधात्रापि ब्रहह्मवृत्तिफलानि वै ॥ ५० ॥
gaṇyante pāṃsavo bhūmergaṇyante vṛṣṭivindavaḥ | na gaṇyante vidhātrāpi brahahmavṛttiphalāni vai || 50 ||
Butir debu di bumi dapat dihitung, dan titisan hujan juga dapat dihitung; namun buah pahala yang lahir daripada hidup menurut laku Brahman (brahma-vṛtti) tidak dapat benar-benar dihitung, bahkan oleh Sang Pencipta (Vidhātā) sendiri.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It declares that the merit gained from living a Brahman-centered life—truthfulness, restraint, purity, and scriptural discipline—is so vast that it is beyond numerical measure, emphasizing the supremacy of inner conduct over merely countable acts.
By praising brahma-vṛtti (God- and scripture-aligned living), it supports Bhakti indirectly: steady purity, self-control, and dharmic livelihood become the foundation on which Vishnu-bhakti and remembrance can remain uninterrupted and fruitful.
The verse points to sadācāra grounded in śāstra—practical application of Vedic discipline; it aligns most with Kalpa (right conduct/ritual order) and Śikṣā–Vyākaraṇa in the sense of preserving correct scriptural learning and recitation as part of brahma-vṛtti.