Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

पतितान्नादनं चैव सुरापानसमं स्मृतम् । उपासमापरित्यागो देवलानां च भोजनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

patitānnādanaṃ caiva surāpānasamaṃ smṛtam | upāsamāparityāgo devalānāṃ ca bhojanam || 31 ||

Translation

பதிதன் (நெறி கெட்டவன்) அளித்த அன்னத்தை உண்ணுதலும் மதுபானம் அருந்துதலுக்கு ஒப்பென ஸ்மிருதி கூறுகிறது. அதுபோல தினசரி உபாசனையை விட்டுவிடுதல், மேலும் தேவாலயத் தேவபோக அன்னத்தை (முறையின்றி) உண்ணுதலும் கண்டிக்கப்படுகிறது.

Word by Word

• पतितान्नादनम्: eating the food of a fallen person
• पतितान्नादनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त; √पत् धातु) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + अदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः: पतितस्य अन्नम् (food of a fallen person) तस्य अदनम् (eating)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• सुरापानसमम्: equal to drinking liquor
• सुरापानसमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरापान (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘equal to liquor-drinking’

• स्मृतम्: is considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle): ‘is considered/remembered as’

• उपासमापरित्यागः: abandonment of restraint/penance
• उपासमापरित्यागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपासमा (प्रातिपदिक) + परित्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः: उपासमायाः परित्यागः (abandonment of ‘upāsamā’/penance-restraint)

• देवलानाम्: of temple-priests (devalas)
• देवलानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भोजनम्: eating (their food)
• भोजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (देवलानाम्) सम्बन्धे ‘their eating/food’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma-instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

FAQs

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

The verse equates certain breaches of purity and discipline—accepting impure food sources, intoxication, neglect of worship, and improper consumption of deity offerings—with serious spiritual downfall, emphasizing self-restraint and sacred order in daily life.

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

Bhakti is protected by steadiness in upāsanā (regular worship) and reverence toward offerings; the verse warns that neglecting worship and treating deity-food casually undermines devotional sanctity and inner purity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-style practical dharma (ritual conduct and purity rules): what food may be accepted, how worship should be maintained, and how offerings are to be treated—core applied knowledge for household and temple discipline.