Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

सक्ताय देवपूजासु विप्रायाढकिकां महीम् । दत्त्वा लभेत गङ्गायां त्रिरात्रस्नानजं फलम् ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

saktāya devapūjāsu viprāyāḍhakikāṃ mahīm | dattvā labheta gaṅgāyāṃ trirātrasnānajaṃ phalam || 32 ||

Translation

ଦେବପୂଜାରେ ଆସକ୍ତ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କୁ ଏକ ଆଢକ ପରିମାଣ ଭୂମି ଦାନ କଲେ, ଗଙ୍ଗାରେ ତିନି ରାତି ସ୍ନାନର ପୁଣ୍ୟଫଳ ମିଳେ।

Word by Word

• सक्ताय: to one devoted/attached
• सक्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √सञ्ज्/सज् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Dative 4th, Singular; adjective)

• देवपूजासु: in worship(s) of the gods
• देवपूजासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक; देव + पूजा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचनम् (Feminine, Locative 7th, Plural)

• विप्राय: to a brahmin
• विप्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (Masculine, Dative 4th, Singular)

• आढकिकाम्: (land) of one āḍhaka measure
• आढकिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आढकिक (प्रातिपदिक; आढक-प्रमाणसम्बद्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Feminine, Accusative 2nd, Singular; adjective)

• महीम्: land/earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (Feminine, Accusative 2nd, Singular)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having given’

• लभेत: would obtain
• लभेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (Optative, Atmanepada, 3rd person, Singular)

• गङ्गायाम्: in the Ganga
• गङ्गायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (Feminine, Locative 7th, Singular)

• त्रिरात्रस्नानजम्: born of a three-night bath
• त्रिरात्रस्नानजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-रात्र-स्नान-ज (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + रात्र + स्नान + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative 2nd, Singular; adjective)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (Neuter, Accusative 2nd, Singular)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Vipra (Brahmin)

FAQs

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

It teaches a dharmic equivalence: sincere dāna (especially land-gift to a worthy vipra engaged in deva-pūjā) can yield the same punya as an esteemed tīrtha-practice such as three-night bathing in the Gaṅgā.

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

It honors devotion expressed through service and support of sacred worship—by empowering a devapūjā-parāyaṇa vipra through charity, one participates in devotional culture and gains spiritual merit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-dharma pragmatics: eligibility (a worthy recipient engaged in worship) and precise measurement (āḍhaka as a standard unit) matter in dāna-vidhi, a principle aligned with kalpa/ritual procedure.