Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 73

Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala

Devanagari script

वत्सरं पितरस्तेषां भवंत्युच्छिष्टभोजिनः । दातारो नोऽभिवर्द्धंतामित्याद्यैः स्मृतिभाषितैः ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

vatsaraṃ pitarasteṣāṃ bhavaṃtyucchiṣṭabhojinaḥ | dātāro no'bhivarddhaṃtāmityādyaiḥ smṛtibhāṣitaiḥ || 73 ||

Translation

整整一年，那些人的祖灵（Pitṛ）以残余之食（不净）为生，正如《斯摩利提》所说，以“愿我们的施主兴盛”之语为始。

Word by Word

• वत्सरम्: for a year
• वत्सरम्: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालावधि-निर्देश (duration)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• भवन्ति: become, are
• भवन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• उच्छिष्ट-भोजिनः: eaters of leftovers
• उच्छिष्ट-भोजिनः: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate nominative/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (उच्छिष्टं भोजयन्ति/भुञ्जते इति)

• दातारः: givers
• दातारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• नः: our
• नः: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th) बहुवचन (enclitic); ‘our’ (genitive)

• अभिवर्धन्ताम्: may (they) prosper/increase
• अभिवर्धन्ताम्: क्रिया (Benedictive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वृध् (धातु)
• Form: आशीर्लिङ्/लोट् (benedictive/imperative usage), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (वर्धते)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यचिह्न (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• आद्यैः: with (phrases) beginning with…
• आद्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = beginning etc., here ‘such as’

• स्मृति-भाषितैः: as stated in the Smṛtis
• स्मृति-भाषितैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्मृत्या भाषितैः = spoken in Smṛti)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It warns that negligence and impurity around śrāddha-related giving and ritual conduct affects the Pitṛs directly—symbolically showing that the ancestors receive an inferior, “leftover” share for an extended period.

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

By stressing purity and right intention in offerings and charity, it supports bhakti as disciplined worship—devotion expressed through dharmic conduct that honors both the divine order and one’s lineage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: correct handling of offerings, remnants (ucchiṣṭa), and the prescribed blessing-formulas from Smṛti are treated as technically consequential in śrāddha practice.