Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 86

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

कपिलां वेदविदुषे यो ददाति पयस्विनीम् । स एव रुद्रो भूपाल सर्वपापविवर्जितः ॥ ८६ ॥

Transliteration

kapilāṃ vedaviduṣe yo dadāti payasvinīm | sa eva rudro bhūpāla sarvapāpavivarjitaḥ || 86 ||

Translation

कपिलां पयस्विनीं गां यो वेदविदुषे ददाति, स भूपाल सर्वपापविवर्जितः स एव रुद्र इव भवति ॥

Word by Word

• कपिलाम्: a tawny (cow)
• कपिलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद-विशेषण (गाम् implied); Accusative singular

• वेदविदुषे: to a knower of the Veda
• वेदविदुषे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; Dative singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative singular

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; gives

• पयस्विनीम्: milk-giving
• पयस्विनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पयस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद-विशेषण (कपिलाम्/गाम्); Accusative singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Demonstrative pronoun, nominative singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle), अव्यय; indeed/only

• रुद्रः: Rudra (as good as Rudra)
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (predicate noun)

• भूपाल: O king
• भूपाल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• सर्व-पाप-विवर्जितः: free from all sins
• सर्व-पाप-विवर्जितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद-विशेषण; Nominative singular qualifying सः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressing the king in the verse as bhūpāla)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

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

It elevates go-dāna (donation of a milch cow) to a Veda-knower as a powerful purifier, stating that the donor attains Rudra-like purity—symbolizing the burning away of sins through a dharmic gift.

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

While focused on dāna, it aligns with bhakti-based dharma: serving sacred persons (Veda-knowers) through selfless giving is treated as a God-pleasing act that purifies the heart and supports a devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse underscores the ritual principle (Kalpa-oriented dharma practice) that the recipient’s qualification matters—dāna is most fruitful when given to a vedavid (Veda-versed), reflecting orthodox rules of proper gifting.