Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

प्रस्थमात्रेण पयसा यः स्नापयति केशवम् । कुलायुतायुतयुतः सोऽपि विष्णुपुरे वसेत् ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

prasthamātreṇa payasā yaḥ snāpayati keśavam | kulāyutāyutayutaḥ so'pi viṣṇupure vaset || 35 ||

Translation

Кто омоет Кешаву молоком в мере одного прастхи, тот—с заслугой, умноженной через бесчисленные роды,—будет жить в божественной обители Вишну.

Word by Word

• प्रस्थमात्रेण: with a measure of one prastha
• प्रस्थमात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक; प्रस्थ + मात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रस्थस्य मात्रा = a measure of one prastha)

• पयसा: with milk/water (liquid)
• पयसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्नापयति: bathes (causes to be bathed)
• स्नापयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative)

• केशवम्: Keshava (Vishnu)
• केशवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• कुलायुतायुतयुतः: accompanied by a hundred-million families
• कुलायुतायुतयुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल-अयुत-अयुत-युत (प्रातिपदिक; कुल + अयुत + अयुत + युत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सः); तत्पुरुषः (अयुतायुतैः कुलैः युतः = endowed with a hundred-million families; 10,000×10,000)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• विष्णुपुरे: in Vishnu’s city/abode
• विष्णुपुरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु-पुर (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + पुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः पुरम्)

• वसेत्: would dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Keshava
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a modest, measurable offering—bathing Keśava with a prastha of milk—can yield immense puṇya and culminate in residence in Viṣṇu’s abode, emphasizing grace-filled devotion over material magnitude.

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

Bhakti is shown as accessible and effective: a simple abhiṣeka performed with sincerity to Keśava becomes a direct devotional act that leads toward Viṣṇuloka, highlighting loving worship (upacāra) as a means to liberation and divine proximity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual precision is implied through the stated measure “prastha,” reflecting practical kalpa-style discipline (procedural exactness in worship) where correct quantities and orderly performance support devotional rites like abhiṣeka.