Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
वृक्षहीनं यथारण्यं जलहीना यथा नदी । वेगहीनो यथा वाजी तथा पित्रा विनार्भकः ॥ २४ ॥
vṛkṣahīnaṃ yathāraṇyaṃ jalahīnā yathā nadī | vegahīno yathā vājī tathā pitrā vinārbhakaḥ || 24 ||
மரமற்ற காடு போல, நீரற்ற நதி போல, வேகமற்ற குதிரை போல—தந்தையில்லா குழந்தையும் அப்படியே.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It teaches that paternal support is a key pillar of dharma: just as nature loses its function when its essentials are missing, a child’s stability, protection, and rightful formation in dharma are weakened without a father.
By emphasizing responsibility and protection in family life, it frames grihastha-dharma as supportive to bhakti: a well-ordered household enables steady worship, samskaras, and ethical living that sustain devotion.
Indirectly, it points to samskaras and proper conduct upheld through household discipline; these are preserved via correct recitation and procedure (śikṣā and kalpa), ensuring a child is guided into dharmic life.