Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 166

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

Devanagari script

दत्तवान्हरिभक्ताय श्रोत्रियाय कुटुम्बिने । सुघोषो भूमिदानेन कोटिवंशसमन्वितः ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

dattavānharibhaktāya śrotriyāya kuṭumbine | sughoṣo bhūmidānena koṭivaṃśasamanvitaḥ || 66 ||

Translation

Sughoṣa đã bố thí đất đai cho một bhakta của Hari—một gia chủ thông Veda; nhờ đại thí ấy, ông được phúc đức khiến dòng tộc nối dài đến mười triệu đời.

Word by Word

• दत्तवान्: (he) having given / gave
• दत्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्तवत्-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः; finite sense: ‘has given’

• हरि-भक्ताय: to a devotee of Hari
• हरि-भक्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरिभक्त = ‘devotee of Hari’); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

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

• कुटुम्बिने: to a householder (with family)
• कुटुम्बिने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्बिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• सुघोषः: Sughoṣa (name)
• सुघोषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुघोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• भूमि-दानेन: by (the act of) land-gift
• भूमि-दानेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूमिदान = ‘gift of land’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• कोटि-वंश-समन्वितः: endowed with countless lineages/descendants
• कोटि-वंश-समन्वितः: Karta-anubandha (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (कोटिवंशसमन्वित = ‘endowed with crores of lineages/descendants’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सुघोषस्य)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a didactic narrative context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It teaches dāna-dharma: when charity is directed to a qualified recipient—a Hari-bhakta who is also a śrotriya—the act becomes highly meritorious and yields expansive, long-lasting फल (results), here symbolized as an enduring lineage.

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

Bhakti is honored not only as personal worship but as a criterion for sacred giving: supporting Hari’s devotee is treated as service to Hari, showing how devotion integrates with social and ritual duty.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights recipient-qualification rooted in śruti learning (śrotriya), reflecting the Vedic rule that dāna gains potency when offered to those grounded in Vedic study and dharmic conduct (a practical principle used in ritual decision-making).