Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

बलिं दत्त्वा निशां नीत्वा संप्रेष्य धनतोषिताम् । भोजयेद्विविधैरन्नैर्ब्राह्यणान्भोजनादिना ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

baliṃ dattvā niśāṃ nītvā saṃpreṣya dhanatoṣitām | bhojayedvividhairannairbrāhyaṇānbhojanādinā || 35 ||

Translation

ครั้นถวายบะลีแล้วผ่านราตรีไป จากนั้นส่งนางกลับโดยให้พอใจด้วยทรัพย์ทาน แล้วจึงเลี้ยงพราหมณ์ด้วยอาหารนานาชนิดพร้อมการต้อนรับอันสมควร

Word by Word

• बलिम्: offering (bali)
• बलिम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकाले क्रिया

• निशाम्: the night
• निशाम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• नीत्वा: having spent/led (through)
• नीत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकाले क्रिया

• सम्प्रेष्य: having sent away
• सम्प्रेष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-इष्/प्रेष् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund) ‘सम्प्रेष्य’ = सम्यक् प्रेष्य (having sent off/dispatched)

• धन-तोषिताम्: satisfied with money
• धन-तोषिताम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + तोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, तुष् धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to नारीम्/एनाम् understood); समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (धनेन तोषिता)

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) (causative/णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative) ‘भोजयति’

• वि-विधैः: with various
• वि-विधैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to अन्नैः)

• अन्नैः: foods
• अन्नैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• भोजन-आदिना: by feeding and the like
• भोजन-आदिना: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (भोजनं आदिः यस्य/भोजनादि)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes completing a rite with dharmic closure: offerings (bali), respectful send-off with gifts (dāna), and feeding brāhmaṇas—actions that convert ritual performance into merit through generosity and honoring sacred learning.

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

Though framed as ritual procedure, it supports bhakti through seva and humility—serving the Lord’s devotees (brāhmaṇas) and practicing giving (dāna), which are traditional devotional expressions in Purāṇic dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga (applied ritual procedure): sequencing of acts (bali → night observance → gifting → brāhmaṇa-bhojana) and the ancillary duty of bhojana-vidhi/atithi-satkāra, consistent with kalpa-style technical guidance.