Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Dharmānukathana

Narration of Dharma

Devanagari script

यद्यदिष्टतमं भोज्यं तत्तदीशाय विष्णवे । दत्वा तत्तत्पदं याति चत्वारिंशत्कुलान्वितः ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

yadyadiṣṭatamaṃ bhojyaṃ tattadīśāya viṣṇave | datvā tattatpadaṃ yāti catvāriṃśatkulānvitaḥ || 68 ||

Translation

凡人最珍爱的饮食，唯以此供奉主毗湿奴；由此得至相应的神圣境界，并与其家族四十代同受其福。

Word by Word

• यत्-यत्-इष्टतमम्: whatever is most desired
• यत्-यत्-इष्टतमम्: कर्म-विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बन्धी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + इष्टतम (प्रातिपदिक; इष्ट + तमप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत्-यत्’ = whatever/whichever; विशेषण

• भोज्यम्: food (edible item)
• भोज्यम्: कर्म (दत्तव्य-वस्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-योग्य/यत् from √भुज् (धातु))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भोज्य’ = edible/food (object to be eaten)

• तत्-तत्-ईशाय: to that Lord
• तत्-तत्-ईशाय: सम्प्रदान (चतुर्थी/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; ‘तत्-तत्’ = to that very (Lord)

• विष्णवे: to Vishnu
• विष्णवे: सम्प्रदान (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• दत्वा: having given
• दत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (absolutive; action prior to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having given’

• तत्-तत्-पदम्: that respective abode/state
• तत्-तत्-पदम्: कर्म (गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तत्-तत्’ = that respective state/position

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: क्रिया (मुख्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• चत्वारिंशत्-कुल-अन्वितः: together with forty families (i.e., benefiting them)
• चत्वारिंशत्-कुल-अन्वितः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (कर्ता-सम्बन्धी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ (धातु) + अनु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); संख्या-विशेषण-समास

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that offering one’s most cherished food to Viṣṇu is a high-intensity act of devotion (bhakti), yielding attainment of a divine state (pada) and extending merit to one’s lineage.

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

Bhakti is shown as giving to God what is dearest to oneself—naivedya offered with personal attachment transformed into surrender—so the offering becomes a direct means to Viṣṇu’s grace and higher attainment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa/ācāra) is implied: naivedya-dāna—offering edible items to the deity as part of pūjā—emphasizing correct devotional gifting rather than technical grammar or astrology.