The novel begins in the small Indian village of Durvasapura. A Brahmin man named Praneshacharya cares for his wife, Bhagirathi, as part of a years-long nightly ritual. She is afflicted with a debilitating chronic illness. He feeds her before putting her to bed. Then another woman, Chandri, rushes to Praneshacharya's home to tell him that her lover, Naranappa, caught a fever and died suddenly. Praneshacharya rushes to the house of Garuda, another Brahmin, and stops him from eating, as he informs him that Naranappa has died and thus, as custom requires, they must fast.
The Brahmin community turns to Praneshacharya to make a decision regarding Naranappa's funeral rites. The rites are typically performed by a family member, but his relatives Garuda and Lakshmana hesitate to offer their help. While not technically excommunicated, Naranappa was not accepted in the community, as he left his wife for a woman of a lower caste, ate meat, and drank alcohol. They talk at length about Naranappa's various transgressions, criticizing him for his lifestyle. Praneshacharya says he will continue to weigh the decision. Chandri looks at him, conveying her hope that he will treat Naranappa's body with charity. She eventually offers her jewelry as payment for the rites to be performed.
The narrator then describes the town at length, remarking on the fruit trees, ritual meals, and remarkably hot climate. Praneshacharya reflects on a previous meeting with Naranappa in which he insulted the Brahmin tenets of faith. Praneshacharya remembers him saying that the Brahmin beliefs are hypocrisies, as many members of the caste engage in shady scheming and lead generally joyless lives. Naranappa at one point took a group of boys fishing in the temple pond, an act that was viewed with great outrage. Praneshacharya made it his mission to prove Naranappa wrong, but ultimately feels that he failed to do so. The Brahmin continue to be perturbed by the ongoing question of Naranappa's funeral rites.
There is also a great degree of infighting, as various members begin to angrily pick at one another. Garuda dislikes Lakshmana for his greed and penny-pinching. Praneshacharya is additionally tasked with figuring out what to do with the gold from Naranappa's estate, much to his great stress and anxiety. He continues reviewing the sacred texts and speaks with Chandri. He remains undecided and the other Brahmins begin to complain, both because of their inability to eat and also because of the stench of Naranappa's corpse. Chandri offers to pay for Naranappa's funeral rites by selling the few jewels she possesses; Praneshacharya tells her to keep them.
Later, Chandri sits beneath a tree with plantains in her lap. Vultures begin circling the sky, a terrible omen to the Brahmins. They attempt to chase them away with noise. Praneshacharya remains in agony over the decision regarding Naranappa. He wanders through a nearby forest and finds Chandri. Both exhausted from these trials, they weep. He feels suddenly drawn to her, as she pulls him close to her body. Overcome with desire for her, Praneshacharya sleeps with her that night. He wakes up at midnight and tells Chandri he must confess what he has done by tomorrow.
Chandri feels guilt for what has occurred, as she thinks everything she does turns out poorly. She feels a great sadness thinking of Naranappa's body remaining in the temple, rotting. In desperation, she pays a Muslim fishmonger to steal the body and cremate it. Meanwhile, several young men in the village rehearse for a play and then talk afterward. They say that no Brahmin women are as kind as Chandri and that everyone is treating the matter of Naranappa's body too seriously. The Brahmin continue to be frustrated with the lack of decision about Naranappa while Praneshacharya remains miserable, guilty, and uncertain. He does not return to the village that evening.
Praneshacharya eventually returns home and thinks quietly to himself. He reflects on his actions, wondering what drew him to Chandri. He goes to tend to his wife and sees that she has a fever. He steps outside briefly and then is struck with a terrible premonition. When he goes back inside, he finds that his wife is dead. He burns her body and weeps. The Brahmins continue to debate the Naranappa matter in a circuitous manner. Garuda and Lakshmana try to push their claim for Naranappa's wealth, as they are related. The swami in the temple becomes enraged at their greed and chastises them both. They apologize. Praneshacharya leaves the aghara (temple) and wanders east.
Praneshacharya finds himself in a forest. There he encounters a young man named Putta. He feels a bit cagey around Putta, as he is concerned about keeping his identity concealed from him. Putta talks to him at length and follows him every step of the way. They eventually go to a small town together. Putta convinces Praneshacharya to drink coffee and watch a cockfight, which only heightens his sense of despair. Then Putta takes him to visit a woman named Padmatavi who lives nearby.
Praneshacharya finds Padmatavi incredibly attractive. Putta tries to convince Praneshacharya to stay the night, but he refuses, growing increasingly concerned by his feelings of lust. He continues to struggle with his feelings as he enters a temple and joins in a prayer. He talks to the other men in the temple and resolves to perform the rites and confess his actions. Praneshacharya heads back to Durvasapura and the novel ends with him anxiously awaiting his return.
