Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 124

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

स्वल्पामपि महीं दत्त्वा श्रोत्रियायाहिताग्नये । ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नोति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

svalpāmapi mahīṃ dattvā śrotriyāyāhitāgnaye | brahmalokamavāpnoti punarāvṛttidurlabham || 24 ||

Translation

Chỉ cần hiến dâng dù một mảnh đất rất nhỏ cho vị brāhmaṇa thông Veda (śrotriya) và giữ gìn hỏa tế, người ấy cũng đạt đến Brahmaloka—cảnh giới khó trở lại vòng luân hồi.

Word by Word

• स्वल्पाम्: small
• स्वल्पाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of महीम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक (particle: even)

• महीम्: land, earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दा (ददाति) (धातु) → दत्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having given'

• श्रोत्रियाय: to a learned Vedic man
• श्रोत्रियाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• आहिताग्नये: to one who has established the sacred fires
• आहिताग्नये: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहित + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; (आहिताः अग्नयः यस्य) इति—विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √आप् (आप्नोति) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्: hard to return from (rarely returned)
• पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ब्रह्मलोकम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुनरावृत्ति + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of ब्रह्मलोकम्)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Dharma/Dāna context, within the Narada Purana’s instructional dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmaloka
• Shrotriya
• Ahitagni

FAQs

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

It teaches that the spiritual potency of dāna depends not only on the object (even a small plot of land) but also on the worthiness of the recipient—specifically a śrotriya and āhitāgni—yielding exalted post-mortem attainment such as Brahmaloka.

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

While the verse is framed as dāna-dharma, it supports bhakti indirectly by emphasizing selfless offering and reverence for Vedic holiness; such pure giving is aligned with sattva and prepares the mind for higher devotion and liberation-oriented goals.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual qualification and śrauta practice: the terms śrotriya (proper Vedic learning/transmission) and āhitāgni (maintenance of sacred fires/Agnihotra) reflect applied Vedic ritual discipline (kalpa/śrauta orientation) and the importance of correct recipient selection in dāna.