Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Description of the Index/Summary of the Garuḍa

Purāṇa

Devanagari script

आवश्यकोत्तमं दानं प्रेतसौख्यकरोहनम् । शारीरकविनिर्देशो यमलोकस्य वर्णनम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

āvaśyakottamaṃ dānaṃ pretasaukhyakarohanam | śārīrakavinirdeśo yamalokasya varṇanam || 26 ||

Translation

اس میں پریت کے سکون کا سبب بننے والے نہایت ضروری اور بہترین دان کا بیان ہے؛ نیز جسم دھاری آتما کے اصول اور یم لوک کی تفصیل بھی بیان کی گئی ہے۔

Word by Word

• āvaśyaka-uttamam: the most necessary (excellent)
• āvaśyaka-uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvaśyaka (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; karmadhāraya-samāsa; agrees with dānam

• dānam: gift, charity
• dānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana

• preta-saukhya-kara-ohanam: that brings comfort to the departed spirit
• preta-saukhya-kara-ohanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक) + saukhya (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + ohana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa/arthatatpuruṣa sense: 'bringing about (ohanam) the making (kara) of comfort (saukhya) for the preta'

• śārīraka-vinirdeśaḥ: description of the body (corporeal matters)
• śārīraka-vinirdeśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārīraka (प्रातिपदिक) + vinirdeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'description/indication (vinirdeśa) of the body (śārīraka)'

• yama-lokasya: of Yama’s world
• yama-lokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'world of Yama'

• varṇanam: description
• varṇanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta (summarizing the Narada Purana’s contents in an anukramanika manner)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

It signals key subject-matter: dharmic charity that aids the departed, instruction on the embodied self, and the moral-eschatological framework of Yama’s realm—linking ethics (dana) with consequences after death.

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing dharma and right conduct (especially dana) as supportive disciplines that purify life and prepare one for higher spiritual pursuit; the verse itself functions as a contents-summary rather than a direct bhakti teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practical dharma is implied through dana and preta-related welfare; while no single Vedanga is named, the verse points to applied ritual norms and doctrinal clarification (vinirdeśa) typical of dharma-śāstra style instruction.