Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Exposition of Spiritual Knowledge

Jñāna-pradarśanam

Devanagari script

वेदमालिर्बहूपायैर्धनं सम्पाद्य यत्नतः । स्वधनं गणयामास कियत्स्यादिति वेदितुम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

vedamālirbahūpāyairdhanaṃ sampādya yatnataḥ | svadhanaṃ gaṇayāmāsa kiyatsyāditi veditum || 16 ||

Translation

ویدمالی نے بہت سے طریقوں سے محنت کر کے دولت جمع کی، پھر یہ جاننے کے لیے کہ کتنی ہے، اپنے مال کی گنتی کرنے لگا۔

Word by Word

• वेदमालिः: Vedamālī (name)
• वेदमालिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + माली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वेदस्य माली (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहूपायैः: by many means
• बहूपायैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बहवः उपायाः (कर्मधारय); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सम्पाद्य: having acquired
• सम्पाद्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘सम्पाद्य’; पूर्वक्रिया (having obtained/produced)

• यत्नतः: with effort
• यत्नतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्नतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: with effort)

• स्वधनम्: his own wealth
• स्वधनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: स्वं धनम् (कर्मधारय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गणयामास: counted/calculated
• गणयामास: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गण् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (Causative) ‘गणय’; लिट्-लकार (Periphrastic perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कियत्: how much
• कियत्: विशेष्य-प्रश्न (Interrogative predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कियत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (how much)

• स्यात्: might be/would be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणचिह्न (quotative particle)

• वेदितुम्: to know
• वेदितुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive) ‘वेदितुम्’; प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose: to know)

Speaker

Suta (narrator)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Vedamali

FAQs

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

It highlights the mind’s fixation on accumulation and measurement of wealth, setting up a dharmic contrast: artha gained by effort still demands discernment (viveka) about its true value and purpose.

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

Indirectly: by showing absorption in counting wealth, it implies the need to redirect attention from possession to remembrance of the Divine—using wealth in service (dāna, yajña, worship) rather than mere hoarding.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Not a Vedāṅga instruction directly; the practical takeaway is ethical accounting of one’s resources for dharmic use—supporting duties like dāna (charity) and ritual obligations rather than indulgence.